ight the fire without any
interruptions.  They're trying to get to the boraton control center, but
it's effectively cut off at the moment."
	I nodded, trying not feel self-conscious with all the stares being
directed at me.  "And now what?"
	"Well, if you want, you can go help with the evacuation."  Starbuck
glanced at the lift.  "I suppose I can go up to the bridge and assist there?"
	"That sounds good."  I was tempted to ask him what Sheba's reaction had
been to his voice, just for a hint on how she'd take the news of my
presence, but decided against it.  By the looks on the other men's faces,
they were running out of time.  "Starbuck, just in case, where...?"
	With a slight smile, he gave me the location for Sheba and Josce's
quarters, and I committed it to memory with a fervor that I didn't realize
I possessed.  There was a tug on my arm, though, and I faced the tech who
had been speaking to Starbuck.
	"There's only one problem," he said, and his words gave me a sickening
feeling in my stoThe Game of Life, Part II
by Sanna M. Guerin

	"I have waited long
	for you to come back home;
	to hear you call my name again.
	And my heart beats strong,
	You've not changed at all.
	And the years have passed you by."
		-Caroline Lavelle, "Moorlough Shore."

Part 14 - Silence among the stars

	Glancing around the main cabin of their quarters, Josce checked to make
sure he wasn't observed, even though he knew his mother was on the bridge.
He felt slightly guilty at what he was doing, but there was a thrill of the
forbidden that lured him to pull out the disc that he had secreted away in
his belongings.
	With a slight smile, the ten yahren old quietly made his way to his desk
to turn on his computer.  As soon as it was active and displaying the
school work he should have been doing, he turned off those displays until
he had a blank screen, then slipped in the disc.  After a few microns, the
text appeared, and he began to read.
	The literature in question was something that Sheba had banmach.  I'd only had it a few times, usually during
circumstances when Boxey was in danger.  "That area of the ship, Captain,
is the next one the fire will reach."
	I clenched my fists, then looked back at Starbuck.  "Okay, you go up to
the bridge, and I'll go help."
	"Gotcha," he replied, then gave me a tap on the arm.  "Good luck, buddy."
	I looked back at the tech.  "Can you show me where they need the help,
especially with the evacuation?"
	"By all means," was the gruff reply, as he led me to the nearest lift.  We
were silent as it slowly took us down to the lower decks, until he turned
to look at me carefully from head to toe.  "You're Josce's father, aren't
you?"
	I nodded slightly at his words.  "Yes.  My name's Apollo."
	"Osiris," he returned.  A genuine smile came onto his lips, lighting up
the dark smears on his face.  "He's a good lad, Apollo.  A bit too curious
for his own good, but a good lad."
	I thanked him, and finally we were there.  The smoke was thicker in this
area of the sned from ever
entering their quarters, but Josce, being the curious ten yahren old he
was, didn't hesitate to get himself a copy when the opportunity allowed.
The IFB's reviews called it "historical fiction," but Sheba argued that it
was too recent and painful a topic for anyone to consider writing about.
And, she pointed out as she raged, it was bound to be inaccurate.
	Josce shook his head, laughing at the expression on his mother's face as
she had stormed about her office.  It was funny now, but at the time, he
had agreed wholeheartedly with her.  Although the stories were researched,
in that declassified logs and such were consulted, the events themselves
were highly fictionalized.
	And even more offensive to Sheba, the main characters were none other than
one Captain Apollo, and his trusty "sidekick," Lieutenant Starbuck.  Both
of them would have been insulted at the way they were portrayed, Sheba
declared; but Josce was curious about how others outside of his mother's
circle of friends vihip, and there were many more people.  A few persons,
recognizable as civilian officers, were directing the flow of traffic.
Over the noise, Osiris gave me the specific directions to Sheba's quarters,
then wished me good luck.
	I hurried along the corridor, praying that I would make it to that area
before the fire did.  I could tell that the fire wasn't that far from this
deck, since the amount of smoke coming out of the vents was steadily
growing thicker.  The temperature was also beginning to slowly rise, and I
could feel sweat beginning to break out on my face.
	As I went, I looked around desperately at the steady stream of people that
were being shepherded through the corridors.  Dozens of children were
passing by, it seemed, and I searched for Josce's face among the multitude.
 None matched the smiling visage from Athena's picture, and that only made
the worried feeling worse in my gut.
	My movement in the opposite direction that the crowd was moving caught the
attention of one of the offiewed his father and uncle.
	"Criterion for Terra" was the first story put out by the author, a sire
named Krigul.  Loosely based on the events surrounding the fleet's
discovery of the planet Terra and her colonies, the story used warrior
briefings and Council reports to construct the events as they were
romantically interpreted.  Josce remembered hearing about the events from
Starbuck and Sheba, and even his brother was fond of telling him the story.
 Prepared as he was, it didn't warn him of what was written inside.
	Josce's eyes nearly popped out of his head very shortly after he started
reading, and as he continued, he was shaking his head.  Section after
section, he found things being described that contradicted everything he
remembered about Starbuck, and everything he was told about his father.
Had Apollo really been the kind of man who would toy with a woman, then
seduce her like it was a strategy in a game?  Josce first read about Sarah,
the woman from Lunar Seven, then the Terran woman, Brenda; both of them,
according to Krigul, were Apollo's conquests.
	Starbuck didn't fare much better in the writing.  His love of wagering,
drink, and women -- the fast, easy sort that Sheba often warned Josce about
-- often got in the way of what should have been the priorities in his
life, the foremost of which was his duty.  His self-interested view of life
was entertained to the point where it nearly endangered both his wingmate
and the missions he embarked on.
	Josce shook his head at the descriptions, wondering where the writer had
been.  Although the boy didn't live on the _Galactica_, he knew enough
about warriors and their lives to know that the two men described in the
story weren't warriors.  They may have flown the Vipers, and gone through
the routines, but they lacked the dignity that Josce saw in his brother and
mother, his grandfather, and his family's friends.
	The story itself was interesting, however, and it was enough to keep Josce
interested for the next few centons.  He bcers trying to direct the traffic.  She grabbed
my arm, forcing me to face her as she shouted, "Hey!  Where do you think
you're going, Captain?  And when in Hades did the _Galactica_ finally get
here?  We've been waiting for centars for you to arrive!"
	Calmly, I explained to her that I wasn't from that battlestar, but from
the _Pegasus_.  "I'm here to help!  How many people are still in their
quarters?"
	"Not that many!" she replied.  "I think only a few more!  We have our fire
crews getting them out now as we speak!"
	"What about the captain's quarters?" I asked, already knowing the answer.
"Has anyone checked that yet?"
	"If they haven't, then they will shortly!" she shot back.  It was all the
confirmation I needed, and I pulled out of her grip to continue hurrying to
Sheba's quarters.  With a shocking sense of deja vu, I realized that these
were the same corridors as the ones in my dream, and I wasn't surprised
when I recognized the last stretch.
	The exodus of the ship's occupants had triecame engrossed with the
adventure -- conveniently skipping the less than stellar personal sections
-- to the point where he didn't pay any attention to what was going on
around him.
	When he reached the section about Starbuck and Apollo preparing a plan by
discussing it while in flight, Josce could almost hear the sounds of the
scanners and other instruments in the cockpit.  Although it had been
sectars since he'd last seen inside a Viper's cockpit, he could still see
it like it was actually there in front of him.  Troy had shown him one of
the Vipers in the landing bay, and Josce had been enthralled with the
experience.  Hundreds of questions had been posed, most of which his
brother tried his best to answer; and one of the highlights was when Josce
actually got to use some of the equipment like the scanner.
	Completely involved with both his memories and the book, Josce was
oblivious to anything outside his mind until he became aware of an
insistent sound.  Blinking a few times, he realized ckled down from this area, and
there were mostly members of the _Achilles_' fire crew around me.  A few
paused as they worked, surprised to see my sudden appearance.
	"Captain?" one of them asked, pushing forward so he was blocking my way.
I was tempted to forcibly push him away, just to get by.  The doorway to
Sheba's quarters was only a few metrons away.  "What are you doing?"
	"You haven't checked all the rooms yet."  It was a statement, not a question.
	"We're finishing up now!" he replied, still in my way.
	"I'm going to help!" I told him, using the best command tone I could
muster under the current circumstances.
	"Like Hades, sir!" he shot back.  "You're not protected, and you can get
yourself hurt!  And that'll be my responsibility!  And the fire's ready to
flare anyway, and several bulkheads are probably going to rupture when it
does!"
	I didn't really care, because I _knew_ that even if I were safe, it didn't
matter.  Josce was in there.  I was so certain of it, I could have put a
bethat it was the
comline.  Feeling suddenly guilty as he closed the story, he hurried to
answer the comline on what he believed was its fifth ring.
	"Yeah?" he responded, activating the comunit.  He was expecting it to be
someone for his mother, but to his delight, he recognized his brother's
features.  A grin broke out on the boy's face.  "Boxey!"
	"_Hey, kid,_" Troy greeted, smiling in return.  "_What's up?_"
	"Just some reading," he replied.
	"_What kind of reading?_"
	"Uh..."  He faltered, unused to lying to his brother.  "Stuff, I guess."
	He nearly kicked himself when he saw the unconvinced look on Troy's face,
knowing that he was caught.  Josce had never been able to lie very well,
just as it had been with his father.  He knew it had amused Starbuck
greatly while he was alive, and he remembered him once telling Sheba that
if it weren't for him, Apollo would have remained completely uncorrupted --
and as such, have no sense of adventure.
	"_Uh huh._"  The tone said everything.  "_What aret down if the circumstances were more appropriate.
	"I'll be fine!" I told him, looking directly into his eyes.  I don't know
if he recognized any of my features, but he seemed to relent a little.  "Do
you have a spare life mask?"
	He handed one to me, looking extremely doubtful.  I could almost hear the
thoughts running through his head, about how stupid warriors could be.
Maybe he was right, but I didn't have the time to argue.
	Moving past him, I finally touched the door panel, and remembering my
dream, I stepped back.  Instead of the flames that I expected, I was
greeted instead by a billowing column of smoke that poured into the
corridor.  I took a deep breath, then went inside.
	The interior was lit by emergency lights, and even though there was a lot
of smoke, the fire hadn't touched the front room.  Hoping that the other
rooms were in the same condition, I squinted through the smoke as I started
to shout.
	"Josce!"  I opened the door to the first room, seeing that it was a
sleeping cha you up to, Jos?  I can
read you like a scanner, little brother, so you'd better 'fess up!  And
better you tell me than Mom..._"
	Rolling his eyes, Josce fetched the disk from the computer and held it up
so Troy could see it.  "'Criterion for Terra.'"
	His brother's brown eyes bulged out.  "_Holy frak, kid!  How'd you get
that past Mom?  Hades, where did you get it?  They're not supposed to give
those out to kids, you know!  And why in the name of Kobol are you even
reading that trash!_"
	Josce shrugged slightly, feeling very embarrassed.  "I got it from a kid
in my class, who got it from his older sister.  I was curious about what
all the fuss was all about."
	"_Jos, if you wanted to hear about what happened at Terra, all you had to
do was ask me!  I was there, especially in the beginning when the Lunar
Seven ship was here on the _Galactica_,_" Troy said, still shaking his head
in disbelief at what he'd just been told.  "_And I heard all about it from
Dad and Starbuck, too.  You know I'd tellmber.  The bed was unmade, but the room was empty.  "Josce, say
something!  Josce, I know you're here!"
	The air was ominously thick with both silence and smoke; I had the
impression that my voice wasn't carrying very far.  By this time, the smoke
was beginning to affect me, and I was coughing as it irritated my throat
and lungs.  The heat was also building the more I moved, and I was worried
about how long it would last before it would be intolerable.
	In the second room, I nearly tripped over something on the floor.  I
stumbled, then turned to see what it was.  The lights were dimmer in this
room, but I could make out what looked like a flatpic that must have been
knocked down.  Getting down on one knee, I picked it up to take a look at
it, and I almost wish I hadn't.  What greeted me was a picture of Bojay,
with his arm around Sheba's shoulders.  They looked so happy together than
I almost wanted to throw the picture across the room; it wasn't just the
smoke that was making my eyes tear as I  you about it, if you'd just ask._"
	"Oh, fine, sure."  Josce didn't feel as happy as he'd been a few microns
earlier.  He glared at his brother.  "You know, Boxey, maybe I didn't want
to ask you.  Maybe I wanted to find out for myself.  I don't care if the
Lords of Kobol themselves told you the story, Box!  Starbuck's gone, and I
never had the chance to even _meet_ Dad, let alone have him tell me any
stories!"
	Troy's image blinked in surprise.  "_Look, Josce, I'm sorry.  It's just
that the novel you're reading is so inaccurate, it's like...  Well,
everything you read isn't true._"
	A slight smile appeared on Josce's lips.  "If everything was true in
there, we'd have about four or five siblings by Dad lurking about the cosmos."
	"_Kobol help us,_" Troy grinned.  "_You're bad enough!  Imagine several
dozen of you!_"
	He put on a wounded expression.  "I thought older brothers are supposed to
be nice to their siblings.  So is there a reason why you called except to
lecture and insult me?  How arleft that room.
	From the area I hadn't yet searched, I heard a weak coughing, and I
hurried toward the room at the end of the corridor.  There, sprawled on the
deck, was Josce.  The boy's eyes were closed, and I immediately went to his
side.  Tentatively, I reached out to touch him, praying that he was all right.
	The first glimpse I had of my son's face nearly took my breath away.
After hearing Starbuck telling me how much Josce was like me, and then
seeing Athena's picture, I thought I was ready to see him.  Definitely,
that wasn't the case...  My hands were trembling, and I had to consciously
try to make them stop.
	Carefully, I brushed the hair from his forehead, and at my touch, Josce
slowly opened his eyes to look up into my face.  The expression on his face
was one of surprise, and I could relate entirely as I gently asked, "Josce,
are you all right?  Are you hurt?"
	He coughed again, then spoke in a voice barely louder than a whisper.
"I... I hit my head when I fell."
	Quickly puttinge you, and all that stuff?"
	"_Oh, I'm fine, but I was more worried about you guys,_" Troy admitted.
"_When Boomer mentioned that the _Achilles_ was one of the ships to get the
most damage during the battle, I headed for the nearest comline.  How are
things?_"
	"Right..."  Josce shrugged.  There had been a Cylon attack earlier two
days before, and four Raiders had broken away from the main force long
enough to score a few hits on several passenger ships, including the
_Achilles_.  The damage hadn't affected anything Josce was involved with,
other than keeping Sheba away from their quarters for longer periods of
time.  "Mom's busy with supervising things like usual, but I think
everything's under control.  Why, did you just get back from deep probe?"
	"_Yeah, about half a centar ago,_" came the reply.  "_Our first full one,
too!  I went out with Dillon and Kip, along with Lieutenant Greenbean.
And, no, we did not see anything interesting, and there wasn't anything to
see because all the fun was  the life mask over his face, I frowned as my fingertips
encountered the bump on his head.  He winced slightly in pain, and I
mumbled an apology as I moved my hand from his head to his shoulder.
"Okay, Josce, we're going to get out of here, but you need to help me here.
 Do you think you'll be able to walk?"
	"I can try," he groaned, and I put my arm underneath his shoulders to help
him sit up.  When he was upright, his eyes went a little wider as he met my
concerned gaze.  To my amazement, he laughed.  "You know, Boxey's right..."
	A small smile made its way onto my lips at the mention of my elder son's
name, but by Josce's sluggish movements, I knew that he wasn't in very good
shape.  Carefully, I lifted him up, adjusting his weight so it wouldn't be
too difficult to carry him,
	"What's Boxey right about?" I finally asked when I knew my grip was
secure, and we headed back into the hallway.
	"You _are_ watching over me."  The boy's voice held a dreamy quality, a
note of wonder that I didn't quapparently happening back here!  That's life,
eh, Jos?_"
	"I suppose..." he shrugged.
	"_And one more thing._"  The tone of Troy's voice suddenly changed, losing
its usual bantering edge as he became totally serious.  There was something
about him that made Josce nervous.  "_Since Mom's really busy, can you pass
her a message?  Get it to her as soon as possible, okay, Jos?_"
	He nodded.  "Okay..."
	"_Tell her Bojay is on his way over to the _Achilles_._"
	Josce's green eyes widened, knowing exactly how Sheba would take the news.
 Two sectons ago, Sheba had finally come to the conclusion that the
relationship between her and Bojay, such as it was, was not going to
succeed the way it was going.  Josce assumed that there had been an
argument, but like usual, any sign of conflict was kept out of his sight.
He didn't even know that something was up when his mother had finally sat
him down.
	There had been an expression on her face that he couldn't recall ever
seeing before, and she seemed to be tiite understand.
	"I try," I finally said after a few microns of uncertainty about how to
respond to a question like that.
	And then it happened.  One micron I was standing with Josce in my arms,
about to take a step forward.  The next, we were both back on the deck,
with my body lying over Josce's.  I heard him cry out in surprise, and I
certainly did, too.  But both of our voices were drowned out by a roaring
from the room we'd just left, and the feeling of intense heat directly
behind us.
	Taking my weight off Josce, I turned to look back, and I stared in horror
at the flames that had somehow broken through the bulkheads, and were
steadily making their way toward us, consuming everything in their path.
	Not bothering to see if my son was all right this time, I grabbed him and
ran for the front room.  I had my eyes set on the door, ready for it to
open at our approach... but at the very last centon, I narrowly avoided
colliding with the closed panel as the door remained shut.
	Josce moved in red.  Using careful tones, she tried
to explain why Bojay's wouldn't be staying with them on the _Achilles_
anymore, and why their sealing was going to be severed.
	While Sheba seemed to have been relieved at the turn of events, Josce was
anything but content.  If anything, his world that had always been this
side of unstable seemed to have shifted drastically.  It was true that he
had never really had a father, in the sense that many of his friends did.
Oh, there was Boxey, Starbuck, his grandfather, and Bojay, but none of them
filled what Josce saw the others as having.  Even so, it didn't bother him
as much as it might, because he knew that he was lucky compared to others,
even with what he was supposed to be missing.
	But it was still an unstable life in parts.  Although it was hazy now, he
still remembered coming to the _Achilles_ from the _Galactica_.  That
hadn't been so bad, since he had made many new friends in the yahrens
since, but he was still separated from Adama.  Then there were tmy arms, trying to see why we'd suddenly stopped.  He
frowned as he spoke.  "What's wrong with the door?"
	"I don't know," I replied, setting him down against the nearest wall so he
wouldn't fall, as I turned to the door again.  No, it was definitely
jammed.  Felgercarb!  I wanted to lash out and kick the door, but my energy
had to spent elsewhere.  The control box for the door was right next to it,
and when I opened it, I couldn't see if anything was wrong.  I sighed
heavily, and almost wished I hadn't when I coughed at the lungful of smoke
I inhaled.  "I think it's jammed.  The explosion that knocked us down must
have jarred the doorway."
	The expression on Josce's face was full of fear as he looked at the
approaching fire, then back at me.  His green eyes were even wider than
before.  "Now what?"
	I pounded on the doorway with my fist, hoping that someone would hear us.
The fire crews had just been outside a few centons ago, for Sagan's sake!
After a few microns, I heard a few taps in reply,he steady
losses of first Boxey to the Academy, Starbuck to the Cylons, and Athena to
Whitby.  And now, Bojay.
	Despite what Boxey liked to think, Josce didn't mind Bojay.  He didn't
play a father role as such, more like an older brother or a friend.  While
Bojay didn't go out of his way to be with the boy, they still had some good
times together that Josce remembered.  He never fully understood why Boxey
disliked Bojay, and he didn't understand why Sheba had decided to end the
sealing.  All he knew was that he was missing something obscure that he
believed resided only in the world of adults.
	Even so, he was going to do as Troy asked.  He nodded slightly at the
monitor.  "I'll go the micron that I get off-line with you."
	"_Good.  He left about ten centons ago, and I think the shuttle's hopping
from one ship to the next, so it could take anywhere up to forty-five
centons to a centar._"
	"I'll make sure Mom knows that, too," Josce promised.
	"_Thanks._"  Troy's face brightened in a smile as h and their pattern vaguely
meant something to me.  I leaned against the door, trying to figure it out,
when I heard Josce's voice.
	"They're telling us that all the doors are jammed," he said slowly, his
face serious in concentration as he listened to the code.  "Something about
boraton, and they're working on it.  We're to wait by the doorway."
	"That's right," I told him, the codes telling me the exact same thing.  I
gave him a quizzical look, seeing a big smile cross his features.  "How did
you know that?"
	"Boxey taught me all the codes when he was learning them at the Academy,"
he said proudly.  I couldn't resist it, and reached out to ruffle his hair,
making sure that my hand missed his bruise.  He smiled shyly in reply
	The centons passed quickly, thank Kobol, but the fire was coming closer
even faster.  Within five centons, it had reached the main room, and very
quickly, everything was catching fire.  At first, I tried to fight it off
by beating anything that started to burn, but for evis eyes searched
Josce's face for a few microns.  "_You know, kid, Dad would be so proud of
you if he ever saw you.  You're just like him.  Anyway, I'd better let you
go so you can go tell Mom.  I've got a few dozen things to do before the
day ends, and Boomer's going to have my hide if I'm late.  The last thing I
need is Colonel Tigh breathing down my neck!_"
	Josce laughed loudly.  "Oh, yeah, sure, but aren't you wanting to break
Starbuck's record for demerits as an ensign?  Anyway, so when are you
headed back over in our direction?"
	"_I'm not sure, but I'm due for a furlon sometime in the next few sectons.
 I'll check on that for you, though._"  Troy's smile grew into a grin.
"_We'll take Dillon and Kip on in Triad, how about?  You're just about
Kip's size now, so we'll be even._"
	"All right!"  Josce couldn't help grinning at that piece of information.
It was the one thing that the boy didn't mind boasting about to his
friends.  Usually, he kept quiet about his relationship with Adama and
ery one object I saved,
another three would go up.
	Finally, I had to retreat back to the doorway, where Josce was already
sitting, huddled down to get out of the smoke that was thick like the fog
that used to blanket Caprica City in the spring.  I sat down next to him,
closing my eyes as I sent another prayer up.  Hades, by this time, I was
ready to pull any one of Starbuck's old stunts, if only to buy us more time.
	Looking down at Josce, I saw him staring blankly off across the room; the
same room where I'd danced only a centar or two before in my dream.  He
looked a little lost, and I tentatively put my arm about his shoulders, not
sure how he'd take the physical contact.  It was a relief when he didn't
flinch away, not that there was really anyplace he could go.
	There was silence between us for quite a few centons, then Josce stirred
slightly, resting his head against my shoulder.  Looking down at him, I
suddenly realized something.  If the only reason I had been brought back
from the dea
Sheba, but letting the other kids his age know that _he_ played Triad with
Colonial Warriors was a worthy piece of status.
	"_Take care, Jos.  Give Mom a hug for me, okay?_"
	"I will.  Say 'hi' to Granpa."
	"_Sure thing, kid.  Until next time!_"  With a final smile, Troy
disappeared from the screen.
	With a sigh, Josce got up from his desk, shutting off the monitor before
he left the room.  Glancing at the chronometer, he saw that it was after
fourteen hundred centars; there was only a centar or so before his mother
usually went off-duty.  But the word "usually" was the key in this
instance, because with _Achilles_ being in the state of repairs that it
was, Sheba might be on the bridge for another few centars.
	Not feeling the particular need to hurry, Josce made his way to the
bridge, and as he always did when entering the busy area, he stopped to
take a look around.  Like Boxey had when he was younger, Josce had the same
dreams of one day having his own ship.  Whether that was the way his
gd was to be there to rescue my son from death, then I had no
other option than to give my life freely.  I felt strangely at peace as I
moved my body to shield his smaller body with mine; I was determined that
the fire would have to consume my body before it reached his.  If the few
centons it took for that to occur was enough for the _Achilles_ to unjar
the door to get Josce out, then I was more than willing to do it.
	I glanced back at the approaching flames, seeing them reaching out for me
like those that had been in my dream.  Only a few more microns of life.
Closing my eyes, I quickly thanked the Lords for giving me this one
opportunity to see my son, and very possibly, to show him how much I loved
him.
	My back was growing intolerably hot, and I braced myself, knowing that any
micron now, the pain would begin.  Just as I thought that my jacket would
catch fire, I felt something else.  At first it was a light and cold spray
coming from above, and when I looked up, I realized that the boratonrandfather did with the _Galactica_, or as Sheba did with the _Achilles_,
or even just flying a fighter like a good many of the adults he knew; he
just wasn't sure yet.
	The bridge usually held twenty people at a variety of stations, with the
captain's located near the rear.  At his first glance, Josce realized that
Sheba wasn't in her usual spot, and as he dodged hurrying adults, he could
see that she wasn't anywhere to be found.
	"Felgercarb," he muttered to himself, knowing that he really  wasn't
supposed to use language like that.  Even so, he didn't really care at the
moment, and if nobody heard, would it really matter?
	"Josce!" he heard a stern voice call, and guiltily, the boy turned to face
the speaker.  Like usual, he found himself having to look up into the
slightly scowling face of Ludlow.  "What are you doing here, young man?"
	Under normal circumstances, Josce would have been intimidated by someone
treating him in such an authoritarian manner, but this was Ludlow.  Despite
the dis was
finally working.
	The fire began to fizzle out, making loud noises of protest as it started
to die.  The boraton was beginning to coat everything with its slippery
white self, and both Josce and I were soon soaked with it.  The room was
beginning to look very surreal, with a haze of smoke and chemical steam
obscuring everything.  If anything, that was making it even harder for me
to breath, but at least Josce had his life mask.
	And we were still stuck. I didn't have the energy to go knock some more,
so I just stayed still.  Josce shifted beside me, then complained in an
soft voice, "I'm going to miss the Triad game tonight."
	I glanced over at the ruined vid screen, then smiled slightly.  "Triad game?"
	"Yup," he nodded slightly.  "The fleet championships are just beginning.
Eighteen teams in all."
	I did my best to whistle in amazement, but my throat was too dry to let
the air come through effectively.  "That's a lot of teams."
	"Yeah, but there aren't that many good players."  He seemeproving expression he wore at that centon, Josce knew from
experience that the tall man's face was far more likely to crease into a
smile than to a frown.  The man and his family were frequent guests at
dinners that Sheba occasionally held, and Ludlow's lightly accented tones
would entertain those assembled with stories and tales that were taller
than himself.  According to Ludlow, he came from a group of people who were
not-that-distantly related from Jolly's Keltoi on Caprica, hailing instead
from Aquaria.
	"I'm looking for my mother," he replied, drawing himself up to his full
height so he could try to look level at Ludlow, even if there still was a
height difference of half a metron between them.  "Do you know where she is
right now?"
	The man nodded.  "Of course.  She's down in the engine compartment,
checking on the repairs.  I think she's due back in five or ten centons."
	"Good."  Josce glanced around the bridge again, then settled his gaze on
his mother's vacant command chair.  "I'll wd extremely
disappointed with that fact.  "Boxey and I bet that we could pick which
teams would win, and that we could probably beat them easily."
	Both of my boys played Triad.  The news made me grin, and I listened
enthusiastically as he spoke about the sport.  My throat by this time was
getting to be too irritated to speak much, and I only could murmur a few
comments here and there.  That didn't stop him from telling me everything
there was to know about Triad in the last few yahrens, and of the games he
played with Boxey and his friends
	The knocks on the door resumed after five or ten centons - I lost track of
the time by then.  Josce was closer to that wall than I was, and I
instructed him on what to reply.  They were just about ready to break
through the door, and we were to move way from it.  Slowly, we moved back,
then just plunked down in the middle of the room to wait.
	Not more than ten centons later, we were being hurried out of the burnt
room into the hallway.  Josce was placed onait for her here."
	"Be my guest," Ludlow replied, motioning to the station.  "Just make sure --"
	"I don't touch anything," Josce finished as he went.  "Yeah, yeah, you
know I don't!"
	A smile finally lit Ludlow's face, and he quickly ruffled the boy's hair.
"I know, but I still have to say it."
	The captain's chair was mildly comfortable, and Josce sat in it very
carefully, all the while looking at the controls and displays very
carefully.  There were several monitors, and most of them displayed
constantly updated reports on the various ship systems.  Only now was Josce
getting a little better at reading them, and he examined them as they
flashed on screen one by one.  If the text was red or orange, it meant that
those systems were damaged, and Josce watched as a good percentage of the
reports displayed the systems as being either one of those colors.
	With a sigh, Josce settled back against the seat's cushions, moving his
attention to the rest of the bridge.  Few of the officers, other than
 a stretcher and covered with a
blanket, while I gratefully accepted a life mask and breathed fresh oxygen
that soothed the ache in my throat and chest.
	Initially, the crews wanted to take Josce down first to the _Achilles_'
lifebay, while I remained here to wait for a second, but I immediately shot
that idea down.  I didn't want to be separated from Josce again, and I
vehemently informed them of that, all the while leaning against the wall
for support.  I could see them exchanging looks, but thankfully they
decided to humor me.
	"What's your relationship to the captain's son?" asked the man who put his
arm about me to help me walk behind the stretcher.
	"He's my son, too," I mumbled through the life mask, and out of the corner
of my eye, I saw his surprised expression, but I wasn't feeling up to
continuing the conversation.
	I wasn't surprised to see that the lifebay was more or less full, but what
did catch me off guard was seeing Cassiopia bustling around the room.
She'd changed in the las
Ludlow, seemed to realize that he was there, and if they did notice him,
they gave him a quick smile before going to work.
	But where was Sheba?  The engines were one area of the ship he knew he
wasn't allowed to go, and he really had no major urge to explore the area.
But if he both knew the area and was able to go down there, he could have
intercepted his mother on the way back.  Starting to feel impatient, he
tapped his fingers against the arm rests as he waited.
	Every few microns, he glanced at the bridge's chrono, wondering how much
more time they had until Bojay's shuttle arrived?  He wondered what Sheba's
reaction would be if Bojay just suddenly arrived on the bridge, in front of
everyone.  It was already common news around the ship that Sheba and Bojay
were separating, so seeing the flight captain would be the cause of rumor,
something that Sheba hated.
	"Lad," Ludlow's voice called to him a while later.  "Your mother just sent
a message up that she's headed back for the bridge.  She st ten yahrens, looking more mature.  Her hair was a
lighter shade of blonde than I remembered it being, and there might have
been a few extra lines around her eyes and mouth that I didn't remember.
But her gentle way of dealing with the patients hadn't changed, nor had her
bright blue eyes when she looked at us once, then a second time in shock.
	"Doctor!" one of the fire crews called, trying to get her attention toward
us.  "These two were caught in the fire, but I don't think they're burned.
They've just got smoke inhalation, and I think the little one hurt himself."
	Looking slightly pale, Cassie went to check on Josce first, frowning
slightly as she touched his forehead.  By now, he was unconscious, and I
watched him worriedly as Cassiopia scanned him.
	"He's got a minor concussion along with the smoke inhalation," she said a
micron later, brushing the hair that was sticking to his forehead with the
boraton.  She quickly turned to a medtech who had appeared next to her,
seemingly from nowherhould be here in
a few centons."
	"Thank you," Josce told him, then frowned slightly.  "Ludlow?  Can you do
me a favor?"
	The tall man frowned slightly.  "It depends what, Jos."
	"There's a shuttle headed here from the _Galactica_, that launched about
twenty centons ago," he told him.  "When do you think it'll be arriving?"
	The first officer frowned slightly as he checked the monitor that
displayed the most up-to-date flight schedules, then turned back to Josce.
"Looks like there's one due to dock with us in fifteen centons.  Why?
Who's coming aboard?"
	Josce just hesitated for the briefest of microns, then said softly, "Bojay."
	For a micron, it appeared that Ludlow hadn't heard him, but then he
blinked.  "Come on, Josce, we're going to go meet with your mother.  Nicci,
you have the bridge!"
	With wide eyes, Josce hopped out of the chair to follow Ludlow's lead as
the _Achilles_' second officer called her acknowledgment.  For a few
centons, he thought he'd have to run, since the long stridee.  "Get him to the back, they'll clean him up and
then place him in one of the empty lifepods."
	"Will he be all right?" I asked, watching as the stretcher was moved to
the back of the lifebay.  Then I turned my gaze back to Cassie, who was now
staring at me openly with shock.
	"Apollo?" she whispered, taking in my entire appearance, complete with
life mask, goatee, and soaked clothes and hair.  "Is that really you?"
	I nodded slowly.
	"You're alive!"  She didn't really shout the words, but it was still an
exclamation.  I smiled in reply as she threw her arms around my shoulders,
hugging me tightly to her.  I had to leave one hand on the life mask as I
returned the hug with my spare arm.
	"You're the doctor," I said wryly, pulling back from the embrace, but
found that she wasn't quite ready to let go of me yet.  I held her closer,
welcoming the warm feel of her body against mine.  I was getting cold in my
clothes, so the extra warmth was nice.  "If you think I'm alive, then I
must be."
	She s the first
officer was taking were almost triple the size of Josce's.  After a few
centons, they nearly ran into Sheba and the two officers she was with.
	"What is it, Ludlow?" she asked, a slight frown creasing her forehead as
she examined the man standing before her.  Her attention was directed down
to here Josce had just appeared, and she immediately noted that her son
appeared slightly embarrassed.  "Oh, no, Josce!  What have you done?"
	"The lad hasn't done anything, Sheba," Ludlow replied in a hurried voice.
"We came to tell you that we're getting an unwelcome visitor aboard the
_Achilles_.  One that you might want to know about..."
	Sheba stared at him, and Josce noticed for the first time how tired his
mother appeared.  Her normally smiling face was almost dour, and there
looked be the beginnings of dark circles under her eyes.  Her hair, usually
neat and pulled away from her face, was beginning to fall back into an
unruly tangle.
	With a quiet sigh, she shook her head in what might halaughed, and gave me a squeeze before finally pulling back.  Reaching
up, she brushed the hair that was hanging down onto my forehead, and
thankfully, it was only the left side.  She couldn't see the implant just
yet.  "Where in heavens name did you come from?"
	"The _Pegasus_," I told her.
	Her blue eyes widened in understanding as she noticed the patch on my
jacket, then she laughed and shook her head.  "Apollo, you have no idea how
happy I am to see you!  Not as happy as Sheba will be, I mean."  I felt my
cheeks brighten at that, and she laughed again.  "You've been there the
entire time?  During these last eleven yahrens?"
	My smile faded slightly as I realized that it wouldn't be long before I'd
have to explain to them about all my activities during the last few
yahrens.  In the meantime, I ventured with, "More or less, yes."
	Despite the life mask and my short sentences, my throat was still
irritated.  I coughed, and Cassiopia finally realized that I wasn't there
just for a social chat.  ve been disgust.
She looked about to speak, but seemed to reconsider her words as she looked
down at Josce.  Using a more gentle tone than she had earlier, she said,
"Josce, go back to our quarters.  I promise that I'll be back shortly, once
this is cleared up."
	Josce tensed as he realized that he wanted to go down with her to the
bays, if only to keep an eye on things.  Truth be told, he wanted to see
this confrontation, just to understand what was going on between Sheba and
Bojay.
	"But, Mom, I want to --"
	"Josce!"  Her brown eyes flashed dangerously, and almost immediately, the
boy felt very small.  "I didn't ask for your opinion, I gave you an order!"
	He ducked his head, feeling his face redden.  She had to be in a very bad
mood if she was going to address him as though he were an officer.  "Yes,
ma'am."
	"Now get going!"  Giving the boy another harsh look, Sheba motioned to
Ludlow to come with her while dismissing her aides, and they headed down
the corridor for the nearest lift.
	CaShe looked at me worriedly.  "We'd better check
you out, Apollo.  Come on, follow me."
	"No!"  I pulled back from her grip a little too quickly, and she gave me a
curious look that quickly turned to concern.  Realizing how unusual that
looked, I quickly added, "I mean... there's a few things you need to know
about what's happened to me over the last few yahrens."
	She nodded slowly, then motioned to one of the examining tables.  "You can
explain it to me while I get ready to scan you, hmm?"
	"Okay."  I followed her there, then plunked down on the table.  For some
unexplainable reason, every time I sit on one of those things, I get the
urge to swing my feet back and forth like a little boy.  This time, I
actually did, even if to keep myself warm.
	"You can start any micron now, Apollo," she began as she pulled out a
scanner and turned it on.  She directed it at my torso, then out to my
left, then back over to my right.  She was about to move it down when she
suddenly stopped, then turned to callsting an angry stare at his mother's retreating back, Josce didn't
immediately move.  He stayed still until he was sure that all the adults
were gone, then allowed a slow smile to come across his features.
Sometimes he wondered who knew the ship better, him or his mother.  Oh, she
might know the parts that Josce, as a minor, wasn't allowed to venture
into, but what about the main sections of the ship?
	His smile turned slightly sly as he moved off in the other direction,
toward another lift that made its way to the bays, as well.  It was a
smaller one, used often for cargo or as an emergency lift.  He could used
that lift to reach the deck above the bays, then climb the rest of the way
down.  Pure genius, he told himself as he hurried.
	Nearly ten centons later, he was at his destination, and he quickly hid
behind stacks of containers.  There was a good amount of activity in the
bay, as supplies from the foundry and other ships made their way onto the
_Achilles_ to help in the ongoing repairs.   to the nearest medtech.  "There's
something wrong with the scanner!"
	The medtech frowned as she approached Cassie.  "What is it, Doctor?"
	"It's giving off false readings!"  A frown had come onto her face as she
pointed at something on the screen.  "It should say something completely
different than it says!"
	"It's one of our newest scanners," the medtech protested.
	Cassiopia was determined to continue her argument, but I had a feeling
that I knew what the problem was.  "It might not be the scanner, Cassie."
	"It has to be!"  She turned to look at me, then touched my right arm.
"Fifteen yahrens ago, you broke your arm, and I remember healing it.
There's nothing there!  And a few other injuries, too, that I remember, but
they're gone!"
	I groaned inwardly.  "It's not the scanner.  You're seeing what's actually
there."
	She stared at me as though I had grown a second head.  "What do you mean?"
	With a deep sigh, I started to explain everything that had happened to me
from dying after my VipeA good number of deckhands and
various other techs were hurrying about, but none of them seemed to notice
him as he carefully made his way to where the shuttles were located.
	He spotted Sheba a few metrons away, with Ludlow at her side.  The micron
he saw them, he made doubly sure that he wasn't visible, then cautiously
peeked up over the containers so he could watch.  It appeared as though
Bojay's shuttle hadn't arrived yet, and he could see that his mother was
upset about the impending arrival.  Although she remained in one spot, she
had her hands clasped behind her back, and she shifted weight from one foot
to the other.  Starbuck used to call that position her "Cain stance,"
meaning that she was ready to bound into action.
	Even though he could see them perfectly, hearing was another matter.  They
must have been speaking very quietly, because over the noise of the bay,
Josce couldn't hear a thing.  There were enough barrels for him to continue
crawling close to their position, and he did sor crashed, to awakening as one of Doctor Ravishol's
clones with the implant in my head, to escaping the Shelborn and coming
aboard the _Pegasus_ as a member of Silver Spar squadron.  All the while I
was speaking, I could see the expression on her face go to doubt, and more
or less stay there as I continued.  My heart sank down to my stomach,
because if Cassiopia, a person I considered to have been one of my friends,
didn't believe me when I told her my story, then what were the chances that
Sheba would?
	"And here I am," I finished, feeling about as enthusiastic as a man about
to face a judiciary with whom his fate rested.  I shivered slightly,
feeling cold as I waited for her reaction.
	Somehow, I wasn't surprised when she avoided the topic completely.  "Are
you cold?"
	I nodded, shrugging both my tunic and my jacket.  All of my clothes seemed
to be sticking to my skin, making me feel both cold and uncomfortable.  If
it had been just water that had soaked me, that wouldn't have been so bad.
B, all the while praying that
he wouldn't get caught.
	He finally heard the familiar tones of their voices, and he stopped, being
able to make out at least a bit of their conversation.  The conversation
wasn't of any interest to Josce -- instead of being about Bojay, they were
discussing something about supplies and reports.  With a sigh, Josce went
down to rest on his knees, waiting for the excitement to start.
	The adults' conversation took a turn, though, as he heard Ludlow excuse
himself for a few microns.  Wondering what was going on, Josce sat still,
listening for any further clues.  Nothing came, and he was about to sigh
when he heard familiar heavy footsteps make their way to the containers.
At the sound, Josce froze, then prepared to bolt in the event of imminent
discovery.
	"Ahem," Ludlow's quiet voice said, and Josce turned in surprise at the
sudden words.  The first officer was pretending to be examining the labels,
but when he glanced over them at the boy, Josce gulped.  He recognizoraton, though, was not only wet, but sticky.  The chemicals, too,
couldn't have been good for my skin.  I wouldn't be surprised if I
developed a rash somewhere because of it.
	"I thought so," she said.  "I'll see if I can find a clean and dry tunic
for you."
	"Thanks, I'd appreciate that."  I tried to smile at her, but I could still
see that same expression on her face, even if she were trying to mask it
with concern.  Before she could leave, I reached out to hold her hand.
"Cassie, everything I told you is true.  It's really me."
	She nodded in reply, but I could tell that she was anything but convinced.
 "Apollo, I..."
	"You can ask Starbuck when he comes here," I added, hoping that the
addition of her husband's name would add to my legitimacy.  After all, he'd
convinced Jolly, Giles, Brie and Athena of my identity; Starbuck was such a
smooth talker that he could probably convince both Cassiopia and Sheba
without any problems.
	But instead of looking convinced, a sad look appeared on her faed that
expression.  "Fancy meeting you here."
	Josce tried to act calmly as he whispered, "How did you see me?"
	His tone was matched by Ludlow's.  "It's not hard to see a dark little
head wandering around where it shouldn't be, lad.  Especially when you have
the height advantage."
	He nodded slowly.  "Does Mom know I'm here?"
	"No, she's too distracted at the micron to notice."  Ludlow deliberately
caught and held his gaze.  The expression in those blue eyes was gentle,
and his tone matched it.  "I don't think your mother will be too happy to
see you here.  Go back to your quarters, and she'll be there in a few
centons, once this is all cleared up."
	"I want to stay and see how things end up," Josce protested stubbornly.
	"Josce, I promise you that I'll keep my eye on her," Ludlow told him.
"And I'll make sure that everything is all right."
	"Promise?"  Josce's face was still a little dour in disappointment.
	"Yes, now get --" Ludlow stood straight as he heard Sheba's voice calling
for him.ce.
"Apollo, Starbuck's been missing for more than a yahren.  We had to leave
him behind when..."  I smiled at her uncertain expression, and she shook
her head in disbelief.  "I know that look.  He's on the _Pegasus_, isn't he?"
	My hand still grasping hers, I squeezed it reassuringly.  "My patrol
rescued him, Cass.  He's alive and well, and here on the _Achilles_.  He's
a member of my wing, actually, and at this centon, he's probably talking to
Sheba."
	"You're joking!"  She stared at me, and by the expression on her face and
the tentative joy in her eyes, I knew she didn't dare allow herself the
luxury of hope.
	"He is, trust me."  I grinned, then saw her eyes tear.  "He'll be just as
excited to see you, I'm sure."
	She blinked a few times, trying to get rid of the tears as she resumed her
role as a doctor.  Tentatively, she fingered my wet sleeve.  "I think you
can use the restrooms.  There's a turbowash there so you can get the
boraton off your skin.  I'll have a medtech bring in your clea  Telling her that he'd be there in a micron, he immediately
lowered his voice.  "If you're out of here by the time we're finished with
Bojay, I won't tell your mother.  Deal?"
	"Deal."
	With a smile, the tall man returned to Sheba's side.  At her glance of
curiosity, he said, "Just checking the containers, Sheba.  I haven't
received the reports for what all the supplies are yet, so I thought I'd
check."
	"And?"  Sheba gave him a glance.  "How did they turn out?"
	"Grand, just grand.  So, how long now?"
	"They're making the final approach to land now."  Sheba sighed, pushing
her hair back from her face with a sigh.  "Tell me, Ludlow, where wasn't I
clear with him?  Severance means that a couple's not sealed anymore.  That
means I have my home here, on the _Achilles_, and he has the _Galactica_."
	"Well, he probably has a reason," Ludlow replied, watching the entrance of
the bay for the shuttle's arrival.  "The attack that just happened was a
pretty heavy one, and Kobol knows we're not the onlyn tunic."
	I smiled at her, then shivered again.  The lifebay was just a little too
chilly for me.  "Show me where. You won't have to force me in there!"
	"That way," she pointed, and I followed the direction until I found the
washroom.  In short order, once the door was shut behind me, I quickly shed
my soiled uniform to get into the welcomed warmth of the turbowash.  The
stickiness soon vanished as the hot water rinsed it away.  Giving myself a
thorough wash, I heard someone slip in the room for a few microns, but I
was too busy basking underneath the warmth to bother checking.
	After another five centons, I finally got out.  Quickly drying off, I
wrapped the towel around my waist as I inspected the new clothes I 'd been
give: a loose fitting pair of pants with a green tunic.  Not exactly
uniform, but it would do.  Before I slipped into them, though, I inspected
my body for any rashes I might have developed from the boraton.
Thankfully, I didn't see anything, so I quickly slipped into my new
 ship who was hit.  And
maybe Bojay's squadron had a close call, too?  Things like that can make us
re-evaluate our lives and what we hold precious.  He's probably coming to
make amends."
	The tired and irritable tone came out in Sheba's voice.  "There's nothing
to make amends about!  As far as I'm concerned, our sealing was over a long
time ago, but it took me a long time to discover it."
	"Let him say what he has to say," he told her, "and get it out in the air.
 That way, it'll be over and done with.  But I do see a problem."
	She shot him an alarmed look.  "The word 'problem' is not a word I want to
hear, Ludlow!  What is it?"
	"If I'm not mistaken, this is the only shuttle either coming or going from
the _Achilles_ for the next few centars.  If he comes, he's stuck for a
while."  Ludlow cast her an apologetic expression.  "So better to make
amends, even if it's to make sure you're on good term.  And there he is!"
	On the other end of the bay, the familiar shape of a military shuttle was
mclothes, then used the discarded towel to wipe my holster clean before
strapping it on.
	A glance in the mirror told me that I needed to do something about my
hair, since the implant was clearly visible with my bangs pushed back.
Quickly using my fingers, I combed them forward again, then ran my hand
over my goatee once or twice before I decided that I looked presentable.
	Cassiopia was at the other side of the lifebay when I exited, and she
glanced up at me as I joined her.  With a quiet smile, she led me over to
the lifepod where Josce was resting, and thankfully someone had thought to
remove his wet clothes and to sponge the boraton off his skin.  He looked
like a dark little angel, lying peacefully.
	"Just like his father," Cassiopia murmured, looking down at him fondly,
then glanced up at me.  There was something about her gaze that was
different now, as though she'd had time to digest my information, and she
believed that it was the truth.  "Always getting into trouble."
	I smiled wryly. aking its way onto the deck.  It slowed its engines, cutting down on the
speed until it came to halt.  As it powered down the engines, Sheba made
her way to the shuttle's hatch, waiting for it to open.


	The first face that appeared in the shuttle's hatch was the familiar face
of Captain Boomer, and Sheba smiled at the sight of him.  Josce, still in
his hiding spot, wished he could go up to his uncle to give him a hug, but
knew that he would be caught if he did.
	Boomer's face, still somewhat somber after having left his wife and
daughter on Whitby sectars ago, brightened when he saw Sheba, and he moved
to hug her.  He laughed softly as he did.  "Well, what an honor to have the
ship's captain coming to meet our lowly supply run.  I just hope we're not
in trouble."
	"Not this time, at least!" she laughed in reply, then pulled back to
examine him.  "How're you doing, Boomer?  I haven't seen you in sectars!"
	"I'm fine," he answered, turning his head slightly to the side in a
self-conscious man "I wish that's something that's improved with age, but...
well, some habits are hard to break."
	"The same story with Starbuck, I'm almost positive," she agreed, and I
chuckled.  Her next words, though, didn't elicit that same response.
"Well, I sent a message up to bridge via a courier, since most of the
telecoms are still dead.  The chief medical officer here on the _Achilles_
wants to know some information, so I added the information that Josce's all
right and that," she glanced at me from toe to head, "there's a little
surprise here for her, too."
	A message, about me and Josce.  That, if anything, would be enough to
incite her to come down here to check on our son, and then she'd see me.  I
had a moment of blind panic, feeling so anxious that I seriously considered
bolting from the area.
	"Cassiopia," I began, in an uncertain voice, "tell me the truth.  Am I
going to be a welcome factor in the formula?  I mean, I know that she's
sealed to Bojay.  Starbuck's told me all about it, and Athennerism.  It wasn't an especially convincing reply.  "But
forget about me.  I'm just glad to see you guys intact!  We've got a
shuttleload of items for you!  Supplies, rations, and some techs to help in
the repairs."
	"Thank you.  Trust me, we can use them!"  Sheba glanced into the interior
of the shuttle, as she noticed movement from inside.  "Any other little
surprises, too?"
	He raised an eyebrow slightly.  "You could say that."
	A few orange-clad techs passed by the two, then two familiar faces
appeared at the hatchway.  This time, Josce really had to restrain himself
so he didn't go up to Cassiopia to give her a huge hug.  He also recognized
Doctor Wilker, smiling in greeting to Sheba as he passed by her to follow
the techs.
	"Cassie!" Sheba exclaimed, grinning as she hugged her friend.  "How are you?"
	"Unfortunately on duty," she replied, giving a wry smile.  "Otherwise, I
would have brought Derdre with me, but since this is our third or fourth
stop, I knew she'd just get in the way."
	a said that
they're still together..."
	A small smile quirked the side of her mouth.  "I'm not surprised that
you've picked up the Whitby colony, too, but their information is a little
out-of-date."
	"How's that?" I asked, frowning at the enigmatic meaning behind her smile.
	"They're being severed," she said.  "The papers were filed recently, and
they're just about approved, once the legist gets the forms from Bojay's
side."
	If it had been anatomically possible, my jaw would have dropped down to
hit the floor.  Even so, my mouth fell open widely in surprise.  "You're
kidding!"
	Her smile widened as she shook her head.  "No, I'm not."
	"Oh, my Lords."  I felt faint, and felt Cassiopia laugh slightly as she
reached out to grasp my arm.  Something slid against the back of my legs,
then there was a firm pressure on my shoulder as she got me to sit down.
	"In the meantime," she said, "you'd better rest.  You want to be in good
shape when she comes down here, don't you?"
	I nodded numbly, still t"Well, maybe she can come later," Sheba offered.  "I take it you're here
to see to the wounded?  We don't have that many casualties, thank Kobol,
but what ones there are aren't that serious.  At least, not serious enough
that our med staff can't take care of them here, but even so, I think
they've been working at all centars.  Most of us are, actually."
	Cassiopia nodded.  "Well, at least it looks like you're handling things
well.  The _Achilles_ looks like it's doing well."
	"Save the compliments for when we're finished."  Sheba sighed, glancing at
the supplies that were being taken out of the shuttle.  "We still have a
lot of work to do."
	Josce craned his neck as he noticed their conversation ended.  He followed
Sheba and Cassiopia's gaze to finally see Bojay standing in the doorway.
His ex-step-father was standing very quietly, looking at Sheba with an
expression that might have uncertainty, and very carefully, he moved
forward to speak to her.  Boomer, seeing the movement, gave them a finalrying to get the news to make sense in my mind.
Severed... the opposite of sealing.  The end of any marital vows...  They
weren't husband and wife.  Then what was the picture of them, albeit from
happier days, doing on the floor of the second bedroom?  Had the picture
been placed on a shelf or in a cabinet that had been knocked down because
of what had occurred to the _Achilles_?  It must have been.
	Sweet Kobol!  Sheba was single!
	I looked up to see Cassiopia's grin, and I returned a weaker version of
it.  She reached to squeeze my shoulder in support, and I managed to
stammer out, "Thanks, Cassie.  I appreciate that."
	"You're welcome."  Her smile told me that something told her that things
were the way I'd claimed them to be.  Finally, someone up there liked me,
it seemed.  "Knowing Sheba, she'll get down here as soon as possible, so
you'd might as well stay put for the time being."
	"I won't move," I promised, looking down at Josce's sleeping face.
	With another squeeze of the shoulder, sh
farewell, telling her that as soon as the supplies were unloaded, the
shuttle was leaving.  Whether or not that was a veiled hint at Bojay, Josce
wasn't sure yet.
	"Hello," Bojay began, and there was obvious discomfort both in his voice
and his expression.
	"Bojay," Sheba replied, not willing to say anything else.  The ghost of a
smile appeared on her lips as she realized the presence of Ludlow just
behind her was making Bojay uncomfortable.  Cassiopia, too, was staying
close.  Finally, when she realized that nothing was going to be said, she
added, "I take it that the legist didn't deliver the severance papers just
yet?"
	He shook his head, "Oh, no, I've got them.  They're sitting on my desk at
this very centon on the _Galactica_, just waiting for my signature."
	"Then what are you doing here?" she wanted to know.
	"I, uh...  I'm glad that there wasn't too much damage to the _Achilles_,"
he replied, pushing the question to the side for the moment.  "We tried to
get as many of the Raiders ase left, leaving  me to sit back as
I watched my son.  It wouldn't be long before Sheba arrived, and I tried to
prepare myself mentally for that imminent moment.  Even so, it wasn't working.
	I was much too nervous!


Part 17 - I have waited long...

	It was just unreal, Sheba kept on thinking.  There was no possible way for
this to be happening; it was the stuff of dreams and fantasies.  Ghosts
didn't just call on the comline, planning to appear on the bridge in broad
daylight.  Ghosts didn't even exist.  It was all a fantastic nightmare, and
she would wake up in her quarters, finding that everything was its mundane,
boring self.
	But, that wasn't the case.  Reality was a damaged ship that had narrowly
escaped being destroyed by either a Cylon or alien laser bolt.  Reality was
the worry for her son's safety during the entire crisis, not knowing if he
were all right.  Reality was a call from the seemingly dead Lieutenant
Starbuck, with instructions on behalf of his superior officer on the
pa we could, but, well, you know the Cylons.
They always send enough ships to keep us occupied so more can get by."
	She nodded slowly at him.  "I know that, Bojay.  I used to fly a Viper,
remember?"
	"Right..."  His face colored slightly as he paused.  "So are you all
right?  How many casualties are there?  And Josce, he's okay, too?"
	"_My_ son is doing well," she said, putting a slight emphasis on the
possessive word.  Josce watched, still trying to understand.  "We're all
doing fine, thank you.  Now, Bojay, please answer my question."
	He reluctantly nodded, a mirthless smile appearing on his lips.  "I was
getting there.  You see, Sheba, while I was out there trying to get the
Cylons away from the fleet...  I actually saw one Raider take a potshot at
the _Achilles_ before Greenbean blew it up.  What if Greenbean hadn't
succeeded?  What if the _Achilles_ blew up?  I would have missed the
opportunity to say this."
	"And that might be?"  Sheba had visibly tensed.
	"I wanted to know if there's atrol.  Reality was the knowledge that the _Pegasus_ was on her way to
assist.  Reality was unreal.
	Sheba shook her head for the umpteenth time, trying to tell herself that
everything around her was concrete, and she wasn't hallucinating or
dreaming.  The knowledge didn't seem to want to sink in, though.  She knew
that Ludlow was looking at her strangely every few microns, checking to see
if she were all right.  Each time, she waved off his concern with a half
smile.
	Starbuck was alive.  The news brought a sense of relief to Sheba's
troubled mind.  If Starbuck was alive after all this time, then he'd
undoubtedly bring some of his famous luck with him, which was something
they could definitely use at the moment.  Maybe, she mused, that luck could
be used to make sure that Josce was all right...?
	"Felgercarb," she muttered, trying to bring her thoughts back to the
current situation.  She had to focus her attention on the _Achilles_, and
her eight hundred passengers.  Josce was only one of them, chance for us to make amends, to try to fix
whatever went wrong."  His blue eyes were fixed on her face, and Josce
could recognize the sincerity in his voice.  "Seeing how close you came to
being destroyed, Sheba, gave me the courage to tell you that I want us to
try again.  To see if we can find what didn't work the last few times, to
make it work.  I love you, Sheba."
	She stared at him for a few centons, then shook her head.  "I've heard
those words before, Bojay, and that's all they are.  Words.  Why should I
believe them now?  And what does your little tramp, Menelea, think about
this?"
	Opening his mouth to speak, Bojay looked around the bay, then quickly
closed his mouth.  Shaking his head, he looked straight at her.  "I think
our personal life -- or lack thereof, as you might say -- is worthy of at
least some privacy."
	"True."  She didn't smile as she glanced at Cassiopia.  "I'll see you
later, Cassie?  Call me if you need anything."
	"Thanks, Sheba," she replied, then headed for the and she couldn't
focus solely on him.  That much she had learned from watching Adama in action.
	Impatiently, Sheba glanced at the chronometer.  Ten centons at least had
passed since Starbuck's last communication to the bridge.  He'd told her
that he was headed up to the bridge, and that the rest of the squadron
would be gradually landing aboard the _Achilles_ to help out.  His
wingmate, she understood, had gone ahead to help the crews fight the fires.
	A nudge from Ludlow made her divert her attention to the tall officer,
then over to the entrance where a painfully familiar blonde figure had
appeared.  With a smile, she approached him, feeling happy despite the
recent events that had almost destroyed her ship and the danger that still
existed.
	"Captain, Lieutenant Starbuck reporting as ordered," he said solemnly.
Still his sometimes cheeky self, Starbuck stood before her and gravely
saluted her.  He then broke out into a grin as he regarded her.  "Kobol,
Sheba, it's good to see you!"
	She d main exit.  As she went,
Ludlow glanced over in Josce's direction, raising his eyebrows over his
eyes.  It was a hint, he knew, to get the frak out of the area before Sheba
learned about his presence.
	"In the meantime," Sheba continued, turning her attention back to Bojay
with a frown, "you and I can continue this elsewhere."
	He nodded.  "Good, because as soon as this is over, I have duties to
attend to.  I'm the warrior representative who is supposed to keep an eye
on the repairs here.  And not," he added as Sheba shot him a harsh look,
"because I'm most familiar with the ship, though that's a bonus.  I was
assigned, Sheba, so don't worry.  I'll keep out of your way once we're
finished."
	"Very well," she said.
	That was Josce's cue.  He recognized his mother's tone as one of finality,
meaning that she was finished with what was happening at that centon.
Backing away from the containers, Josce made his way back to the auxiliary
lift.
	Breathing heavily in the lift, he wondered if that wasidn't immediately answer, choosing instead to throw her arms around
his shoulders to hug him.  Despite what she was seeing and hearing, there
was the logical part of her brain that told her that Starbuck wasn't real.
That was quickly put to rest when she felt the solid body in her grasp.  He
was made of flesh and blood, not dreams and memories.  She squeezed him
tightly, feeling his grip returning the pressure gently.
	"It's good to see you, too!  I should have known you'd turn up somewhere!"
she told him, finally stepping back so she could look at him.  Amazingly,
he hadn't changed that much in the last yahren or so; he still looked like
the man she'd last seen a secton or two before he had been marooned.  His
hair was a little lighter in places, and his skin was slightly darker than
she remembered, as though he had been deeply tanned several sectars ago.
"You seem to have that luck that never seems to run out.  Thanks for
sharing with us, Starbuck.  We thought that we were finished when those
 fast enough for
Ludlow.  He shuddered, wondering how close Sheba came to knowing about how
he'd broken her order.  The results, he knew, wouldn't be pretty.  The last
time he'd been punished, he wasn't allowed to leave their quarters unless
it was for meals or instructional period; and he also wasn't allowed to
watch IFB's regular Triad games.
	"Not this time," he whispered as the doors to the lift opened to an upper
deck.  "Nope, all clear... I hope!"
	"Josce!"
	The boy froze after a few steps, caught unaware by the sudden use of his
name.  Carefully, he turned to see Cassiopia walking toward him.  For a few
microns, he wondered if she knew where he had just been, but by the smile
on her face, he knew he was safe.
	"Hi, Cassie!"  He went to meet her, and gave her a big hug.  If she didn't
know that he was down there in the bay, then Sheba definitely didn't know.
He smiled in her embrace, then felt her pull back to examine him.
	"Josce, I swear that every time I see you, you've grown more andships showed up."
	"Trust me, Sheba, it was my pleasure," he replied, then glanced over to
where Ludlow was still standing at his station.  "Hey, Ludlow!  How are you
doing?"
	The first officer smiled at the pilot, and Sheba had the brief memory of
dinners spent with both men trying to tell stories that would surpass the
other's.  Josce, Derdre, Boxey, and Ludlow's children had loved to listen
as they became more and more outrageous.  "Grand, Starbuck.  So you've been
having a vacation on the _Pegasus_ while the rest of us have been busting
our astrums, avoiding the Cylons?  How was it?"
	"If it was a vacation, I'd insist on getting my cubits back."  Starbuck
glanced at the star field that was empty of everything but the stars, just
the way Sheba tended to prefer it now that there was no fleet surrounding
them.  "No, we've had our own version of fun, especially lately.  While we
haven't had the Cylons as much as you guys, we've been playing with the
Shelborn and the Cymorth.  They're the two ot more,"
she laughed.  He nodded in reply, knowing that he was finally taller than
her shoulders.  "How are you, and how are your classes?"
	"Good," he replied.  "Boring sometimes, but they're okay."
	"I can understand," she nodded, then took his arm.  "Come on, I'd love to
be escorted to the lifebay by a young man like yourself.  And you can tell
me all about your boring classes."
	He grinned as they started walking.  "You'd die of boredom before we'd
even get there!"
	"Maybe you're right," Cassie mused.  "But how are you doing, with your
parents' situation being the way it is?  I can imagine how confusing it
must be for you."
	"Well..."  He scrutinized the deck for a few microns, trying to voice his
feelings.  There was something about Cassiopia that always made it easy for
Josce to talk, especially if the talk was about something that he didn't
feel he could broach to his mother -- or at least, not yet.  Finally, he
said the only thing he could think of.  "Yeah, it's confusing.  I mean, if
her ships who paid you a visit
today, along with the Cylons."
	"Nasty bastards," Ludlow muttered, shaking his head.  "They deserve each
other.  The Cylons fired on us first, just to make sure we weren't a
threat, and then they started to tow us to Kobol knows where.  Then these
other two kinds of ships arrive, and the darker ones --"
	"The Cymorth," Starbuck supplied.
	"And the Cymorth," he continued, nodding his thanks to Starbuck, "started
firing on the Cylons, but then when we tried to move, they fired on _us_!
It's their lasers that started most of the fires down below."
	Starbuck nodded gravely.  "That sounds about right, I'm afraid.  They seem
to follow each other like fleoges hovering on a corpse."
	"Apt analogy if I ever heard one," Ludlow agreed, then looked down at his
station.  "Excuse me for a centon..."
	"Who are they, Starbuck?" Sheba wanted to know, motioning him away from
Ludlow as they made their way back to her command chair.  "And these
Shelborn?  They just sat on the side, things have been wrong for a while, then how come I didn't know about it?"
	"Parents want to protect their children," Cassiopia said slowly, "and they
want to protect them against anything unpleasant that they don't have to
otherwise face.  I was about eleven when my parents were severed, so just
about your age, but for me, it wasn't a surprise.  They didn't bother to
hide their animosity from me.  My father would be gone a lot, since he was
a merchant, and during the time that I wasn't with him, I was with my
mother.  But when they were together, you could have sworn that the walls
of Hades were going to break down."
	He gave a half smile.  "Well, I don't like surprises.  I mean, they were
always smiling when I was around them, and I've never heard Mom yell at
anyone other than while on duty, or at me when I've done something wrong.
But this is just weird."
	"I have the feeling, Josce, that your mother is going try to clear this up
as soon as possible so life can go on."  Her voice was serious as though they were watching the
battle like a spectator at a Triad game.  They didn't make a move to help
us or the others."
	"That's a long story," the lieutenant replied, grimacing slightly.
"However, it's probably the shorter of the many stories you'll be hearing
today, but here goes.  The Shelborn were once the Cylons' would-be
stepchildren, until they revolted.  Then there was a war, which the
Shelborn lost four or five yahrens ago.  The remaining groups have just
been bothering us and the Cylons, until the Cymorth showed up on the scene.
 We have no idea who they are, really, other than that they're pretty nasty
when they want to be.  The Cymorth and the Shelborn are also recent allies.
 And that's about the gist of it, though we know more about the Shelborn as
a group.  We haven't even seen a real Cymorth yet, only some very shadowy
figures."
	"They sound very mysterious," Sheba commented, distracted for a few
microns as she was handed a few reports to glance through.  "Mysterious and
as she
spoke, and she glanced over at him.  "So just hang on in there."
	"But..."  Josce shook his head, knowing that the answer wasn't as simple
as that.  "Cassie, I _like_ Bojay.  He's fun to be with.  Maybe not as fun
as Boxey, or the way Starbuck used to be, but Bojay helped me with my
homework.  He'd watch the Triad games with me."
	Just by looking at her, Josce knew that she wasn't sure what to say to
that point.  It was true that he didn't have that much adult male company
and guidance, with Adama, Boomer, Troy and Bojay on the _Galactica_ most of
the time, and Starbuck and the father he never knew both dead.  Ludlow was
there, but he had his own family to worry about without having to be extra
concerned about his captain's son.
	"I know," she said softly.  "But your mother has reasons that you might
not know about --"
	"I don't know any of them," he replied with a soft snort.
	"Okay, so then you don't know her reasons, but she's your mother.  It's
probably in your best interest."
	"Yedangerous."
	"That's one way of putting it.  We don't even know what the Cymorth are
doing in this area of space.  Our old allies told us that they just
appeared from nowhere."  Starbuck shrugged.  "In fact, all _I_ know for a
fact is that they're merciless when they get going.  They destroyed a
Shelborn ship early in their alliance, and they helped the Cylons wipe out
the colony at Whitby a few sectars back, too.  Of course, I don't know if
they actually meant to do that, but...  Sheba?"
	Her face had paled during his words, and she sank down into her chair when
she reached it.  "They destroyed Whitby?"
	"Um..."  He seemed to search for the right words, and didn't appear to
find them.  "Well, the Cylons attacked them, and the Cymorth showed up.
They attacked both the Raiders and the Vipers.  And, then they...  Oh,
felgercarb, I'm making this sound worse than it is...  We arrived at Whitby
three sectons after it occurred, after picking up the distress signal."	
	"Were they all dead?" she whispeah, sure."  He sighed, regretting his sarcastic tone.  "I just wish
that somebody could enlighten me!  Cassie, could you?"
	She shook her head firmly.  "It would probably be better if you heard it
directly from Sheba, instead of me.  I may be her friend, but there is
definitely some territory that I will not dare to touch.  But, just for the
meantime, he's done some things that have made her very unhappy."
	He perked at the news.  "Really?  Like what?"
	"Josce, you're too curious for your own good."  She chuckled as she shook
her head, but then her expression sobered.  "Let's just say that he's done
things that your father, rest his soul, would never have dreamed of doing.
Ever."
	Josce groaned silently.  Like that was an answer?  As much as he respected
the image of Apollo that had been presented to him from birth by everyone
from Sheba to Starbuck to Boxey, Josce sometimes wondered if they hadn't
actually deified him in a way.  The man couldn't have been _that_ perfect!
There had to have beenred, looking at him fearfully.  "I had a
funny feeling that something was going to happen on that planet.  I should
have talked Athena into staying with Boomer aboard the _Galactica_...  Now
she's...  I mean, she and Eilan are gone?  Jolly, Giles and Brie, too?"
	His grin was much too inappropriate for the topic matter, and she wanted
to rub it off his face.  There was nothing funny about death, and she
wanted him to understand that.  But his next words banished those thoughts
from her mind.
	"Sheba, they're alive and well.  They were all among the survivors when we
arrived, and they're on the _Pegasus_ right now.  Jolly and Giles are
actually going to be landing here soon, once they make sure the Cymorth and
Shelborn don't come after us."
	"They are?"  She sighed in relief, then glanced at her displays.  Most
were off-line, Starbuck noticed, and those that were still showing
something weren't that very uplifting, showing mostly results that were in
the red zone.  "Well, I can tell you that at  something about the man that was human, like the
rest of them.  Because if Apollo had been as flawless as he tended to be
portrayed in Boxey, Adama and Starbuck's stories, then Josce would never,
ever attain that level of... well, perfection.
	The lifebay, Josce's least favorite area of the _Achilles_, was directly
ahead of them, and they walked the last few metrons in silence.  When they
reached the exit, Cassiopia -- like most relatives Josce had -- reached out
to tousle his hair.  What was it with his hair that people seemed to like
to mess with?
	"I'll probably see you in the morning," she told him.  "I expect that I'll
be here probably for a few centars.  Could you do me a favor and call
Derdre on the _Galactica_, to tell her that I'll probably be home tomorrow
afternoon or evening?  I'll talk to her later, too, when I'm finished."
	He nodded.  "Sure thing."
	"Thanks, Jos."  She smiled as she disappeared into the lifebay.  "See you
later!"
	When she was safely inside the room, Josce turnthe moment, we can use all the
help we can get.  Most of our spare crews are off fighting the fires, and
while neither the solium or the energizers appear to be in any' immediate
danger, it's the civilians who are in danger."
	"No word of Josce?" he asked, his voice echoing the concern that Sheba felt.
	"Nothing."  She shivered, not daring to release the dark thoughts that
were threatening to overwhelm her.  If Adama or her father were in her
place at this moment, she wondered, how would they deal with it?  Cain
usually waited until circumstances permitted his leaving the bridge, then
he would head down to see her if she were injured.  Sheba never really had
the chance to see if or how his emotions conflicted with his sense of duty
and dedication to his command.  Only once, that she could think of, had
Cain visibly made a decision that had been emotionally wrenching for him.
Well, there might have been others, but the decision to send the wounded
warriors -- including Sheba -- to the _Galactica_ed to quickly hurry back to
his quarters, wondering all the while how Sheba and Bojay were faring.
Judging by their behavior in the landing bay, he could tell that his mother
would not mince words and bluntly get to the point.  At least Ludlow would
hopefully be there to keep his eye on things.
	He wasn't surprised to find the rooms empty when he entered, and he headed
immediately for the comunit.  Going through the familiar motions of keying
in the code for the _Galactica_, he finally was connected to the unit in
Cassiopia and Derdre's quarters.  After a few rings, he was about to hang
up, thinking that the girl was elsewhere, when she finally came on the
monitor.
	Even after they had almost been raised together until Josce had moved to
the _Achilles_ at the age of five, and the fact that their fathers had been
the closest of friends, there was something distinctly antagonistic between
Derdre and Josce.  He was quiet and typically well-behaved, while she was
what the adults tended to term as a before attacking the
three baseships, was the only one that she was aware of.
	Adama, on the other hand, had been constantly at war with himself.  That
she knew because she had always seen it in action.  Whether it had been
with Apollo or Athena, he always tried to put Adama the father behind the
protective and rational figure of Commander Adama.  Even if it tore his
heart to shreds, he still put the fleet before his children.  Life or
death, he never failed to do that; and Sheba tried to live by his example.
	Starbuck's hand was a slight comfort on her shoulder as he looked down at
her, and there was an oddly reassuring expression on his face.  "I think
there's someone here who's doing his best to make sure that Josce's going
to be all right.  Trust me on that."
	She gave him a level look, trying to understand what he meant.  Only one
name was coming to mind, and it wasn't exactly the person she had in mind.
The last thing she wanted to be was in Bojay's debt.  "Starbuck, I --"
	"Captain!"  N "lovable hellion."  Derdre was also
intensely competitive, something that Josce didn't particular enjoy doing;
but as circumstances before had shown, they could get along when the going
got tough.
	"_Brat!_" she exclaimed when she saw him.  Derdre's curly blond hair, as
usual, had fallen straight onto her forehead, partially obscuring her
bright blue-grey eyes, and Josce had to stifle a laugh.  Even though he
wasn't quite a yahren older than her, maybe ten or eleven sectars at the
most, she still insisted on calling him "brat."
	"Hey, Pickaninny," he shot back.  He didn't really have an idea what the
name meant, other than he had found in a thesaurus under a heading for
"children."  Whatever it was, it certainly seemed to fit Derdre and her
often annoying attitude.  "Your mom told me to pass a message on to you for
her.  She says she'll call you as soon as she can, and that she thinks
she'll be home tomorrow."
	"_Okay!  I'm okay, here.  Chameleon's over, and he's teaching me a new
game of caricci hurried to Sheba's position, brushing past Starbuck as
she handed Sheba a handful of reports.  "The latest reports on the fire,
and the various repairs.  Doctor Wilker is asking for your permission to
reroute a few systems."
	"Excuse me for a micron," Sheba said to her guest, then frowned at the
papers.  "Which report is that?"
	"Second paper in the pile," the second officer replied, waiting for the
captain's orders.
	"Tell him that I said to be careful," she told her after a few microns,
not looking up from the paper.  "If anything goes wrong, we could lose
every system on the ship, including life support.  No unnecessary
tinkering, and I mean it!"
	"Yes, ma'am."
	Looking at Nicci's retreating back, Starbuck gave Sheba a sympathetic
smile.  "You've got Wilker on board?  I'm sorry to hear that."
	"He came along with a special delivery from the _Galactica_ to help repair
the _Achilles_."  She sighed and stretched her arms, then laughed as she
gave Starbuck a sidelong glance.  "Oh, you'll ds,_" Derdre grinned, looking off-screen at the old man that
Josce remembered very fondly.  "_It's fun, and he says that I'm already
good enough to take on most of the players on the _Rising Star_!  Amazing,
huh?_"
	Josce rolled his eyes.  "Last time you tried to show me one of your card
games, Derdre, I beat the pants off you!  Three times!  And in a row, too!"
	She shrugged, a smile on her lips that gave the impression that very
little in life fazed her.  "_It was a lucky play.  My luck was down that
day, but wait until next time!  Your allowance will be mine, all mine!_"
	"And I think you've been reading too many books of felgercarb," he replied.
	"_You think?  I just read a really good one, you know.  Dad would've
gotten a real kick out of it!  It's called 'Criterion for Terra.'  It's
hilarious!_"
	"I know, trust me," Josce responded wryly.  He noticed, not for the first
time, that while Derdre appeared to be so carefree, he felt older, and more
adult.  "I'm in the middle of reading it."
	be happy to hear this!
Cassie's aboard, too!"
	"She is?"  The meaning of her words didn't seem to sink in for a few
microns, then he seemed to have a double-take.  A grin came onto his face
as a torrent of questions began.  "You mean that she's here?  Here, here?
On the _Achilles_?  What's she doing here instead of on the _Galactica_?
How is she?  Is she all right?  What about Derdre?"
	"Derdre's still on the _Galactica_, and Cassie's here for the same reason
as Wilker," she told him, then a wry look came on her face, "and the same
story with Bojay, too.  They were all assigned to come over here, since we
were the ship with the most damage after the last Cylon attack which, I'm
sure, doesn't say much in our current situation."
	"True.  But Bojay lives here," he pointed out, then frowned slightly as he
studied Sheba's negative shake of the head.  "Or not?  Sheba, are you
telling me what I think you're telling me?"
	She gave him a hesitant smile.  "Three guesses, and the first two don't
count."
"Oh!  So how did you get it past your mom?" the girl wanted to know.  "_I
got mine from Chameleon.  He was reading it, and I borrowed it!  And --_"
	"Derdre, my dear," Chameleon's voice said as his face, a smile playing on
his older features, appeared behind Derdre.  "_If you're going to steal
something from someone, there's only one thing worse than being caught with
the object in your possession.  Do you know what that is?_"  Her eyes wide,
she shook her head.  "_I didn't think so.  It's to be caught with the
object in your possession while boasting about it.  Understood?_"
	She wrinkled her nose, but slowly nodded her head.  Chameleon, with a very
grandfatherly attitude, patted the top of her head gently, then turned to
the monitor.  "_Hello, Josce.  How are things faring on the _Achilles_?_"
	The boy quickly summarized recent events on the ship, while leaving out
the factors that involved Bojay's arrival, and reported that Cassiopia was
safely aboard the ship.
	"_Good, good..._"  Chameleon n
	"Ah, well."  He nodded solemnly, then smiled.  "I suppose that
congratulations are in order?"
	"Thanks, but that doesn't answer my earlier question.  Who's looking after
Josce?  Is it Bojay?  Did you run into him or something, and he told you he
was headed down there?"  As she waited for a response, she glanced back
down at the reports, seeing that the information provided within was
tentatively optimistic.  She sighed, then flipped to a second one, which
was a report from Bojay.  She stared at it for a few microns, then back up
at Starbuck.  "It can't be Bojay.  He's still in alpha section, and my
quarters are in delta.  Starbuck, who are you talking about?  Who's with
Josce?  Tell me!"
	With a secret smile, the kind that she remembered all too well, Starbuck
was about to speak when the navigator interrupted by calling to the captain
from across the bridge.  "Captain!  Three more Vipers are approaching us!
They're asking for landing instructions, and they want to speak to
Lieutenant Starbuckodded his agreement.  "_Well, we'll hear
from her later, then.  I'll let you go, because I've got to feed this
little one before she eats the very cards she's playing with._"
	"_I'm not hungry, Chameleon, honest!_" she protested.  "_I want to play
another hand!_"
	"_Each primary you eat, love, will be a hand we'll play.  Deal?_"  The
excited cheer that Derdre gave was everything Chameleon needed to hear.  He
grinned, giving an expression almost identical to the one that had been on
Derdre's face earlier.  "_Take care, Josce.  Give your mother my regards._"
	"I will.  Bye!"  In the micron before the connection was cut, Josce waved
in farewell, then sighed as the monitor turned dark.  He hated to admit it,
but he was envious of Derdre, even though they both only had their mothers
left.  But Derdre saw Chameleon, who for all intents and purposes was her
grandfather, more often than Josce ever saw Adama.  It made him feel
jealous and lonely, wondering exactly if he were missing all the fun that
Der."
	"Put them through," she ordered.
	"_Lieutenant Jolly calling the _Achilles_,_" the portly pilot's voice
said, coming loudly through the comline.  Even though Starbuck had already
told her that he was alive, knowing that Jolly was there and hearing his
voice were two different things.  "_Come in, this is Lieutenant Jolly
calling --_"
	"We hear you, Jolly," Starbuck said, smiling slightly as he glanced over
at Sheba.  "How are our three groups of little friends?  Are they finished
squabbling?"
	A snort came clearly through the speakers.  "_You'd think they'd be,
right?  No, they're still at it.  The _Pegasus_ finally arrived, and Cain
told us to make a headway to the _Achilles_ while the rest of the Silver
Spar launched to take care of the Cylons, Cymorth and Shelborn.  We're to
help you guys with your emergency problems._"
	"We'd appreciate that, Jolly," Sheba told him, suddenly feeling very
relieved at the thought of her father not being too far away.  After the
shocks she'd been through dre appeared to be having.
	With a heavy sigh, Josce turned away from the desk, not feeling like doing
any school work or even reading.  "Criterion for Terra" would remain
unfinished until he felt in the mood; and even his favorite topics in
instructional period, mostly literature and languages, held no interest for
him.
	Instead, he wandered into the main area of the quarters, where the vid was
located.  He turned the monitor on, then went to sink onto the sofa located
across the room.  Getting into a comfortable position, which was basically
a sprawl across the cushions, he quickly found a Triad match to watch.
With a smile, he lost himself in the game.
	The players weren't anyone that Josce recognized, but he still found it
interesting.  He examined their strategy, seeing if there were any moves
that might come in handy for when he and Troy played his brother's friends.
 Wouldn't it be a surprise for the young warriors when a mere ten yahren
old managed to pull a stunt that would leave theirduring the last little while, she was just too
tired to get any more emotional than she already was.
	"_When we land, is there anyone we can report to?_" he wanted to know.
"_Do you still need help with getting that fire under control, or with any
of the repairs?_"
	"Actually, yes.  When you land, look for a man named Osiris.  He'll tell
you what you need to know," Sheba instructed him.  She smiled after a few
microns.  "And Jolly?" 
	"_Yeah?_"
	"It's good to hear your voice again."
	They could both hear his grin over the comline.  "_You, too, Captain.  Oh,
Starbuck, is the Skipper down there with the emergency crews?  I've got a
message for him from Commander Cain._"
	"He's still down there, I think," Starbuck replied, glancing over to meet
Sheba's gaze.  She frowned at him, wondering what the meaning of the look
was as he quickly looked away.
	"_Sounds good.  We're making our final approach now.  Jolly, out._"  The
comline cut out as the monitors showed the Vipers beginning the landing
pro jaws hanging somewhere
at the same level as their knees?  Josce found himself grinning at the
image as he wondered if a certain jump was allowed.
	By the third period, he thought he had it figured out, but all thoughts of
Triad disappeared when Sheba came through the doorway.  Josce stared at the
sight of his mother, seeing that her fatigue had grown since he'd last seen
her in the landing bay.  He'd never seen her look so drained as she did
now, and he immediately got off the couch to go give her a hug.
	Her arms tightened around his chest as she held him close, and he rested
his head on her shoulder.  Usually hugs with Sheba were very short, but
this felt like it would never end.  For nearly a centon, Josce remained
standing with her, until she finally pulled back.  The show of emotion
seemed to have helped a little, and she smiled at him as she brushed his
cheek affectionately with her fingers.
	"You okay, Mom?" he asked, wondering if he shouldn't take her to her
sleeping chamber to let hercedures.
	Sheba was silent for a few microns, wondering who might have been the
"Skipper" that Jolly referred to.  She hadn't heard him use the name in
more than ten yahrens, when he used it to call Apollo.  It was also a name
he had never used with either Boomer or Bojay.  So why was he using it now?
 And, while she was on the train of thought for mysterious things, who was
in the second Viper that had landed with Starbuck?
	As though sensing her thoughts, Starbuck moved forward until he was
standing directly by her chair.  She glanced up at him, seeing an
expression on his face that looked as though he were uncertain of what he
should say.  With a frown, she straightened in her chair, waiting for him
to speak.
	"Sheba."  He spoke slowly, keeping his voice low.  There was something
unusual about seeing Starbuck like that; only rarely had she seen him like
this during the course of their friendship.  It was only when serious
things had happened, when Starbuck had to put aside his lighter side s rest.  Their usual supper-time wasn't for
another centar, and if she rested for the time being, Josce could get
everything ready for her.  "Maybe you should take a nap, or something?"
	"No, I'll be fine," she replied, taking a slight sigh.  "It's just been a
very, very long day.  Why don't we make supper tonight together, and then
we can just sit and watch the IFB for a few centars?  Anything good on
tonight?"
	He glanced back to the vid.  "Triad, Triad and more Triad.  It's the lead
into the championship series, you know.  Eighteen teams this yahren."
	"Ah."  She nodded slowly, then smiled.  "Are they any good this yahren?"
	"Not really on a whole, but it depends on which team you're talking
about," he told her.
	She nodded again, looking interested.  "Why don't you tell me all about
them?  Tell me everything, up to the odds if you can."
	Enthused by her interest, Josce regaled her with everything he could think
to mention about the various teams that were going to participate for the
title o he
could be taken seriously.  "I've got something important to tell you, and I
know it's going to sound impossible.  It'll sound so crazy you'll think
you'll never be able to believe it, but, well, look at me.  Did you ever
think you'd see me again, in all truth?"
	She shook her head slightly, knowing that she had given up hope before the
secton was even over.  Josce had been another story, but Sheba had long ago
become a realist after Apollo had failed to return from his patrol.  While
she still had faith about Cain returning, she just couldn't do the same
thing for Starbuck.  "No, I'm afraid I didn't.  I mean...  Well, I
shouldn't have, because after all, you've got that famous luck of yours."
	A slight smile appeared on his lips.  "That's true, I guess, but what
about someone who hasn't the luck I have?  Someone who's still important to
you, after all this time?"
	The words made her stare at him, totally unsure what he was talking about.
 "Starbuck, what are you getting at?  Who are we talof fleet champion.  He was amazed every time he looked at her, seeing
that she didn't seemed to be at all bored at what he was talking about.
Finally, he commented on that observation, since he knew his friends'
mothers didn't care at all about the sport.
	"Josce, I'm surprised at that," she grinned.  "You're the son of a former
fleet champion!  All your interest in Triad, and you forgot that Apollo and
Starbuck won the championship together three times?"
	He smacked his forehead.  "I forgot about that!"
	"Yes, it's true.  The first championship was won by your Uncle Boomer,
along with Greenbean.  Then the next three yahrens, your father and
Starbuck won it, until Apollo was lost on his patrol.  That's when Starbuck
and Boomer teamed up to win the championship," she paused in her cooking,
using her utensil to point to abstract locations in front of her as she
counted, "five more times, but not consecutively."
	"Right!"
	She shook her head, laughing.  "Sometimes I wonder about you, Jos."
	Ten cking about?"
	He held his breath, studying her face for a few microns.  Just when she
thought she was ready to reach out to shake his shoulders to demand an
answer, he let the air out along with a rush of words.  "It's Apollo.  He's
alive, and he's with us now.  He's looking for Josce as we speak, because,
well, I think he had a feeling that Josce was in danger.  So don't worry,
because he's going to find him and --"
	Sheba looked at him, tilting her head slightly as she frowned.  "I didn't
hear you properly, Starbuck.  _Who_ is aboard the _Achilles_?  You couldn't
have said what I think you said."
	"There's nothing wrong with your hearing."  He sighed, shaking his head
slightly.  She got the impression that he was trying to find the right
words, but was utterly failing.  "Sheba, I've been rehearsing this
innumerable times since we landed, but I just can't find the right thing to
tell you...  Apollo's alive, Sheba, and he's been on the _Pegasus_ for the
last few yahrens.  He's here on the _Achientons later, they were sitting in front of the IFB, waiting for the
new match to begin.  Josce noticed that Sheba's light-hearted mood from
just a few centons earlier was beginning to dissipate as she pushed her
food on her plate.  Finally, she looked up.
	"Josce, I know you've been wondering about things lately," she began
slowly.  "In particular, about things that are between Bojay and I.  I want
to let you know that I know you're confused, but I just don't have the
energy tonight to explain everything to you.  I promise that we'll sit down
tomorrow and discuss everything, but tonight, let it just be a mother-son
night, between the two of us.  Between you, me, and," she glanced at the
vid, where the Triad players in their revealing outfits were gathering,
"and those guys up there.  Oh, nice..."
	"You think they're good?"  Josce grinned wryly at her.  "You should see
the female Triad players!  They're gorgeous!"
	He ducked as she threw one of the sofa cushions at him, and then she
started to lles_, trying to find Josce.  I
don't know for sure, but there was a look in his eye that told me that he
believed Josce was in danger."
	Sheba couldn't have been more shaken if someone had pulled a carpet from
underneath her feet.  It felt like everything that she had believed in as
truth was lie.  It was impossible, her mind shouted out its dismissal of
his words; yet a small part of her, the hope that she'd long ago buried in
her heart to put out of the way of her reality, whispered something else
entirely.  The small voice, even though it seemed to be no louder than a
whisper, announced, "I told you so!"
	Even so, the news still caught her off balance. Apollo, the man she had
dreamed of and mourned for the last ten, nearly eleven yahrens, was alive?
How?  She had always held the belief that she would know if a loved one
died.  That was how she knew her mother had died yahrens ago, though she'd
been in the other room sleeping when her death occurred in the middle of
the night.  That was why laugh.  Josce grinned in relief, knowing that at least for that
night, Sheba was relaxing and enjoying herself.  He just wished it could
last for her.

Part 15 - O tha mo dhuile ruit
          (Oh how I love thee)

	She'd never quite had a dream like this before.
	Music permeated the room, a steady beat that made Sheba want to
automatically sway her body gently.  It was a song she hadn't heard in a
long time, and even then, it had been only something that had been heard in
passing.  Now, she couldn't think of another song that sounded so
beautiful.  Stringed instruments combined with the vocalist's throaty words
created an atmosphere that was heavy with expectation.
	The words, those of a woman longing after seven yahrens for her missing
lover, rolled about the room, and Sheba listened very carefully.  The
situation might have been different, with the beau being an old fashioned
sailor on Caprica's great oceans, but the emotions in the singer's voice
echoed the longing that had long ago wageshe believed, despite the odds, that her father
and the _Pegasus_ still survived.  But that sense had failed her when it
came to Apollo.  After all, she'd been so certain yahrens ago...
	She opened her mouth, prepared to speak, yet not knowing what to say.  She
was saved by Nicci, who called, "Captain!  The crews report that the
overhead boraton mists are working!  The fires are beginning to be
extinguished, and most of the fires are already out in delta section.  The
crews are making headway into the other areas as we speak."
	Starbuck sighed at the news.  "That's where I sent him, to delta section."
	"To find Josce."  A look of relief came over her features, but any respite
she felt was replaced by a giddy combination of anticipation and
nervousness.  At least, she mused, she could know that Josce was being
looked after, assuming that Apollo had located him in time.  Even so...
"Starbuck, I have the feeling he might have succeeded.  I wonder where they
are now?"
	"The lifebay?" he asked.  "Sad a losing war in Sheba's heart
with the grief over Apollo's death.
	She sighed, still swaying to the music, and ran her hands on her dress.
Something about it made her look down to see what exactly she was wearing.
It was a purple dress that she hadn't worn in yahrens...  In fact, she
didn't even possess it anymore, did she?  The last time she'd worn it was
yahrens ago, the night of the dinner on the _Rising Star_ with Apollo.
	She began to move her hips from side to side, catching herself with the
beat.  She felt the skirt swirl around her legs, tangling about them for a
micron before they continued with their dancing.  She began to twirl to the
music, losing herself in the rhythm, the way she used to when she was a
child out among her mother's flowers, when Bethany would play music loudly
from the house.  For a few microns, she felt like a child, free and alive.
	As she whirled, she felt someone take hold of her hands, joining her in
the dance.  Even though the unexpected grip was surprising,me place as Cassie?"
	"I hope she's there," she murmured, avoiding Starbuck's gaze for several
microns before she looked directly into his eyes.  "The last time I saw
her, she was headed for bed in my quarters.  I'm assuming that she's in the
lifebay.  Felgercarb, I never even thought about her once..."
	With a sympathetic smile, Starbuck reached out to touch her shoulder.  "I
don't expect you to worry about everything.  You had enough on your hands
without thinking about extra things.  Trust me, the combination of Cylons,
Cymorth and the Shelborn are enough to keep even your father singularly
occupied."
	A faint smile appeared on her lips, and she settled back in her seat.
"They give Father a hard time, too, do they?"
	"I've seen him stay awake for centars, trying to figure out the Cymorth
and the Shelborn," he told her.  "At least the Cylons are predictable, in
their own quaint way.  We've also got some insight on the Shelborn, so that
just leaves the Cymorth, and we know practically nothing  she didn't feel
alarmed.  The touch was non-threatening, and it was one she knew.
Together, they danced, going round in a circle like two children among the
flowers in a field.  Only the field was the front room of her quarters, and
she was long past her childhood yahrens.
	Very slowly, she opened her eyes to see who her mysterious dancing partner
was.  She knew that it was too tall to be Josce, and Bojay would never get
past Ludlow's security officers; and Cassiopia was too tiny.  The sight
that greeted her made her stop in the middle of a twirl, her hair loose
about her shoulders, and her skirt still echoing her last moves.  Her
breath, already heavy from her dancing, seemed to nearly want to choke her
as she held her breath in surprise, and she snatched her hands away from
the caressing hold in shock.	
	"Don't stop," Apollo told her, a smile on his lips as he looked down at
her gently.  "You were having fun."
	In the way that can only happen in a dream, Sheba knew that she wasn't
supposed about them."
	"I see."  Her attention was distracted a few microns later, when a group
of three men appeared at the entrance of the bridge.  Ludlow went over to
them, and was handed a few reports.  Glancing through them, he stopped, as
though reading the words another few times.  Giving the men a brief nod of
acknowledgment and dismissal, the first officer made his way over to Sheba
and her guest.
	"I have a message for you from the lifebay," he began, a smile coming onto
his face.  "In particular, it's from Cassiopia.  Josce's in there, but he's
only suffering from a mild concussion.  He'll be all right.  She also says
that she has something special to show you when you arrive."
	"That's my Cassie," Starbuck grinned.  The expression on his face told
Sheba that he couldn't wait to get down there.  It was a sentiment that
Sheba shared, yet was reluctant to do.  Her giddy feeling was being
replaced by the sickening sensation of intense apprehension.  "Always full
of surprises."
	"Sheba," Ludlow to worry.  She was still surprised though, but she welcomed the
sight of her long dead lover.  He was just the way she tended to remember
him.  He wasn't wearing his full uniform, since he was missing the dark
brown jacket that complemented his tan tunic.  Other than that, he was
perfect.  His green eyes, his dark hair, his smile, and everything else
about him was just the way she always pictured him in her mind's eye.
	Even so, she stood there, staring at him with an expression on her face
that she knew was silly.  Apollo didn't seem to mind, as he moved forward
to grasp her hands in his very gently.  He smiled at her.  "Come on, let's
keep on dancing, shall we?"
	She silently nodded, feeling Apollo taking her hands again.  His touch was
more intimate this time, bringing her to him and holding her against him.
It felt so real to Sheba that she felt like breaking down into tears, and
she pressed her face against his shoulder, drinking in the moment that she
knew could -- and would -- end at any continued, stepping in close to show that he had a point,
"I think things are coming under control for the moment.  Go down to the
lifebay, check up on Josce to make sure that the lad is all right, then go
see this sweetheart of yours.  Nicci and I can handle things up here, and
if the situation worsens, we'll contact you."
	Sheba gave him a frown, wondering how he knew about Apollo, and what
exactly he knew.  Knowing Troy, he had probably told him about his father
before, and more than likely, Ludlow had heard their conversation.  Pushing
past those thoughts, she realized that she was uncertain about what she
should do as she looked past Ludlow to the bridge.  "Are you sure?"
	"Of course."  He motioned to the exit.  "Go."
	"And who's the captain, again?" she smiled, finally standing up from her
chair.  Stretching slightly, she suddenly stopped to look at her first
officer.  "Ludlow, what about your family?  Are they all right?"
	"I heard from them a centar ago," he told her.  "don't forget thatmicron.  There was no mistaking that
it was a dream, and she hated knowing that.  No matter how hard she tried,
she was going to lose him again.
	She felt his cheek against her hair, pressing down gently against her
head, and she tightened her hold on him.  With all her being, she wished
that they could remain there in each other's arms, suspended in eternity.
The music continued to drift around them, whirling gently about the two
gently swaying figures.
	Finally, the moment had to end.  Sheba felt Apollo's grip tighten, then
his voice whispered in her ear.  "Sheba..."
	She lifted her head, gazing up to his face.  His eyes were tearing, as
though he were wishing that circumstances could be different, and she was
determined to make sure that they would be.  Before he could continue his
sentence, she hushed him by reaching up to brush her lips against his.  The
result was like electricity racing between them, taking both of their
breaths away.
	Lowering her head back down to his shoulder, she ti our
quarters are in beta section.  They weren't touched by the fires, and
except for a few bumps, they're fine.  I'll see them shortly, besides."
	"I'm glad," she sighed, then pulled on the hem of her tunic.  She
hesitated again, this time only for a few microns.  "You'll call if
something happens?"
	"Yes."  Ludlow looked down at his reports, then back up at her.  He
quirked an eyebrow at her.  "I can still see you, Captain."
	"I'm leaving," she grumbled, then smiled.  "Thank you, Ludlow."
	"You're welcome," the tall man replied, then went back to his duties as
Starbuck shepherded her to the bridge's exit.  As the two walked, Sheba
found her thoughts drifting in one direction, which didn't help the turmoil
of feelings inside her.
	Beside her, Starbuck looked as though he were about to speak, then seemed
to reconsider.  She glanced at him, wondering what was going through his
mind.  When silence continued, she decided to speak.
	"Tell me, Starbuck.  What are my chances with Apollo?" she wonderghtened her grip on his
body, making sure that he wouldn't be able to slip away from her.   She
heard Apollo sighing slightly as he resumed their old dancing position, but
only for a few more centons.
	"Sheba," he murmured again, and when she looked at him again, she saw that
he was glancing over his shoulder.  The expression on his face was that of
someone who was distracted, as though they were trying to keep a
conversation going despite the noise in the background.  A noise...
Someone calling him away from her?
	"Apollo, I..."
	It was his turn to hush her, bringing his finger to place on her lips so
he could speak without interruptions.  His face grew serious, but there was
a loving expression in his eyes that she had missed seeing over the yahrens.
	"I love you, Sheba," he said, the emotions in his voice almost
overwhelming him.  Sheba felt his grip tighten as he spoke, until they were
pressed against each other.  Two halves, wishing to become whole, yet
unable to.  "I want you to know thaed,
thinking of the ironic situation that might occur when they finally saw
each other.  What if she looked at him and realized that she wasn't in love
with him?  What then?
	The laugh that escaped Starbuck's lips startled her.  "Oh, Sheba, don't
worry.  If I know Apollo, he's down there, fretting the very same things.
He's madly in love with you, just like he was in the yahren before he died.
 I think --"
	"He died?"  The words didn't make sense to her, even less than the ones
Starbuck had uttered when he slipped the fact that Apollo was still alive.
"Starbuck, I'm still in shock with the fact that he's down in my lifebay.
What in Hades are you talking about?  He died?  If he did, then what's he
doing here?"
	For long number of microns, Starbuck just looked at her as silence seemed
to weigh in on them.  There was something about his expression that told
her that he was waging an inner war on how to state something, but for the
life of her, she had no idea what he was trying to say.  Instead, t.  I love you..."
	He smiled down at her, a wistful smile that nearly broke her heart, and
then Sheba felt her arms encircling the empty air.  He was gone, as though
he had never existed, and only the faint strains of the music filled the
hollow where he had been.
	"No!" she shouted at the room, taking her arms down, only to raise them
again as she shook her fists in anger.  "It's not fair!  No!  Bring him back!"
	Her words echoed around the room, drowning out the music until her voice
was the only thing that could be heard.  Silently, she turned around the
room, unable to believe that mere microns before, she hadn't been alone.
	Feeling helpless, she brought her hands up to touch her face.  Her tears
were hot and wet against her palms.  Circling the room one more time, she
sighed heavily.
	"I know that, Apollo," she whispered, wishing that he were still there to
hear her words.  "I know you love me.  You gave me your children, and your
love.  But I never had the chance to tell you the same thshe
waited patiently until he was able to voice his words.
	"Do you remember Count Iblis?" he finally asked, watching her face for a
reaction.  Any traces of humor had vanished, and he was almost somber in
his words.
	"Of course I remember him," she replied, shivering slightly in memory.
"Well, most of it, anyway.  Why?"
	"You and I both know that Apollo died there, on Iblis' planet.  Iblis
tried to kill you, but Apollo got in the way."  Starbuck brought his hands
up, as though warding off any additional questions that she might have.
"Even so, he came back to us, when those beings on the Ship of Lights gave
his life back.  And only when you and I said that we would trade our lives
for his.  Do you remember that?"
	"Yes, I do.  As much as possible, that is."  Those events, although she
knew they were real, were more like dream images.  The kind of images that
floated before her, yet darted away whenever she tried to see them in more
detail.
	"We never questioned that it was the real Apollo weing.  I love you,
more than anything..."
	And with a gasp, she bolted upright in bed.  Her eyes, unfocused in the
dark, could see nothing but the dream images that had been so real microns
before.  Images of her and Apollo, together again.  She could still feel
his touch on her, leaving an ache in its wake.
	She shook her head as she lay back in bed, pulling the blankets about her
as she thinking about her dream.  It had been yahrens since she'd dreamed
of Apollo.  From the time of his death, to the sectars after Josce's birth,
she'd dreamed almost every night about Apollo, but the dreams had finally
gone away until he was only a fond memory.  But now, they were returning.
	Most were dreams about the past, based on real events that had occurred.
She had relived moments where she had done everything from fighting him,
talking with him, loving him, to mourning him.  Usually, he was at a
distance, or there was something separating the two of them.  It might have
been the distance between their Vip received then."  His
blue eyes searched her face as she spoke.  "We shouldn't question this
time, either.  It's Apollo who's down there, no matter what.  Different,
yes, but we're all different after eleven yahrens.  We're still the same
people, aren't we?"
	"Starbuck, what aren't you telling me?" she demanded, frowning at him.  No
matter how reassuring the words were supposed to be, Starbuck wasn't
addressing the issue itself.  "If you believe that Apollo is really Apollo,
then I believe you.  But what happened?  Why do you have to tell me all this?"
	"Because..."  Starbuck laughed suddenly, then shook his head.  "Kobol, I
wouldn't even believe it myself if I were in your place.  The problem is
that right now, Apollo looks to be about Boxey's age, and," he paused as he
noticed the unbelieving expression on Sheba's face, "I'd better start from
the beginning."
	She watched him with wide eyes during the rest of the trip down to the
lifebay, as he gave her the main details of Apollo's life in theers, or the distance enforced by duty.
Either way, they hadn't been together until tonight.
	But why was she having them at all?
	What was it that Bojay had said the previous afternoon?  Sheba's mind
whirled back to a conversation -- not quite an argument just yet -- that
she'd had with her ex-husband.  She was living for a ghost.   Yes, that was
it.
	She shook her head.  Never before did she think that ending a relationship
could be so difficult.  With boyfriends in yahrens past, she would just
announce to him that the relationship was over, and not to call her
anymore.  That had always worked, but not with Bojay.  Maybe it was because
they were sealed, but ending their marriage wasn't the difficult part.
Three times in the past yahren, she'd pondered on whether it was wise to
end the sealing, but in the end, she always relented to keep the status quo
in the end.
	Now, things were different.  It was Ludlow who had told her about a
mysterious woman he'd heard about, glimpses of whom had been s last few
yahrens.  Truly, the last four yahrens, because that, according to
Starbuck, was how long he'd been alive.  She stared at him in wide-eyed
fascination, not sure if she should take the proverbial grain of salt while
listening, or whether a slab would be more appropriate, especially when he
described what the Shelborn had done to Apollo while he was in their care.
	"And I swear to Kobol," he finished, "that it's true."
	The lift door opened onto the deck where the lifebay was located.  Sheba
didn't respond as she stepped out, but her mind was whirling as much as her
stomach.  Now that their destination was in sight, she hurried to the doorway.
	By some odd luck, the very first person they encountered was Cassiopia.
Sheba stood back, watching as the couple stared at each other as though
presented with a vision of their fondest desires, even though both, she
assumed, knew about the other's presence.
	Finally, Starbuck stepped forward and wrapped his arms around his wife's
shoulders to bripotted
occasionally with Sheba's husband.  It was never on a visible ship, like
the _Rising Star_ or the market ship, the _Pathmain_.  Instead, the couple
met on the _Amante_, a Scorpion freighter.  Ludlow had actually seen the
couple there, once when Sheba's first officer had been aboard the ship on
business.
	Sheba had been incensed when she learned of Bojay's infidelity, and she
had fumed in silence during the secton or two Bojay had been on the
_Galactica_ performing his duties.  All the while, she cursed herself for
not having noticed.  Their love life wasn't the same as it had been in
previous yahrens, but when they did have sex, Sheba couldn't recall whether
or not she'd noticed anything different.  She must have been as blind as a
chiroptera.
	Bojay actually seemed to be surprised when she had confronted him, almost
as though Sheba were out of her mind.  It was an afternoon while Josce was
at learning period, so the couple was also alone in their quarters.  That
was when he asked a queng her into a tight embrace.  Cassie's eyes were tightly
shut as she brought her own arms up to keep him from pulling back, not that
it appeared either one was ready to do that at the moment.  Sheba could
only see Cassiopia's face, but she was sure that Starbuck was crying just
as much as she was.
	Leaving the couple to their reunion, Sheba stepped past them to look
around the lifebay.  It was fairly full, and as she looked for men with
dark hair, she felt her giddiness come back with a vengeance.  Each time
she saw someone who met the basic description, a wash of excitement came
over her, but only vanished slightly when she realized that it wasn't him.
	She finally located them at the other side of the lifebay, near the wall.
With large steps, she made her way over.  Feeling sick to her stomach, she
focused her attention on the smaller body lying in the lifepod.  Josce
appeared to be asleep, looking peaceful.  His dark hair was pushed back
from his forehead, and Sheba could see a dark bruise onstion that made Sheba's blood run cold.
	"What's so different with what I've done, and what you've been doing since
the micron we were sealed?" he demanded.  She stared at him as though he
were the one out of his mind, and she continued, she was sure that it was
an apt description.  "Don't tell me that this," he found the picture of
Apollo that was located on a shelf along with other flatpicts, "isn't on
your mind?"
	"Apollo?" she'd asked, not understanding what he was talking about.
	"Yes, Apollo."  The name was almost spat out as Bojay's blue eyes took on
an icy glare.  "When I proposed to you, Sheba, down in the bay, I asked you
if you could live without his memory.  By agreeing to be my wife, you said
that you could.  But obviously, you can't."
	Feeling her anger beginning to build up inside her chest, Sheba tried to
keep her voice level.  "I fail to see how my memories of Josce's father,"
that one hurt him, she knew, "have anything to do with your... your whoring!"
	"It's right in front of his head.  With a
sigh, she reached down to adjust the blankets over her son's body, and was
surprised to see his eyes open.
	"Mommy," he murmured, sounding as if he were half asleep.  To prove her
observation, he blinked several times, as though it were an extreme effort
to keep his eyelids open.  "Guess what..."
	"What, Jos?" she replied, brushing his hair with her fingers.
	A smile came onto his lips, one of the bright ones that made Sheba's lips
turn up, too.  "I saw my angel, Mommy.  He came to watch over me, just like
Boxey said he would..."
	Gathering the courage, Sheba looked across at the chair that had been
placed next to the lifepod, and at the man sitting in it.  With eyes almost
the same color as Josce's, Apollo was watching her quietly, and as she met
his gaze evenly, she felt herself go cold with shock.  Despite everything
Starbuck had told her, she wasn't prepared to see him.
	Feeling very unsteady, she smiled at him, then looked back down at their
son.  Josce's eyes were slow you," he snapped, bristling even more at those
words.  "You don't love me, I found someone who has.  But I love you,
Sheba.  But if you promise to be with me, I'll leave Menelea behind without
a second thought."
	Angrily, Sheba shook her head, feeling furious at him and her.  She also
knew that life the way she'd known it for the last few yahrens would never
again be possible.  After more heated words, she'd kicked him out of her
quarters, and he'd quickly left for the _Galactica_.  The next day, she
filed the papers with the legist.
	The angry Bojay from several sectons ago was a far cry from the Bojay she
had spoken to the day before.  This Bojay was a little distant, especially
since Ludlow was standing the doorway.  Distant, but repentant.  And
honest!  He truly seemed to regret his infidelity, but it was too late.
Sheba had no interest in either accepting his apologies, or attempting to
continue as though his extra-marital tryst had never happened.
	Truth be told, Sheba would have been haly drifting shut again, and Sheba waited until
he was asleep again before moving.  Rising slowly from his side, she took
measured steps to walk around the lifepod to face Apollo.  He appeared to
be frozen to his seat, and Sheba had to laugh, knowing that he was feeling
the same way she was.
	Starbuck was right, she almost immediately noted as she faced him again.
While Apollo had always been boyishly handsome, he definitely looked to be
at least a decade younger than he had ten yahrens ago.  Her eyes almost
immediately noticed the dark goatee that encircled his lips, and she
suddenly had the urge to laugh.  He just looked ridiculous with it, like
someone with a babyface trying to appear yahrens older than they really were.
	"Are you all right?" she finally asked, after countless microns spent
looking at each other.  The humor in seeing his facial hair still made her
want to laugh, and she had to consciously put it aside.  She was glad for
that, because it gave her something to concentrate on insppiest if Bojay had left the ship
immediately after their conversation, since at the time, Boomer was still
helping Wilker's techs with unloading their equipment along with the other
supplies.  But no, Bojay was here for at least as long as Wilker and
Cassiopia, since he had ended up being assigned as the warrior to oversee
the repairs on the ship.  As for Boomer, he was long gone.
	"Don't worry," Ludlow had told her, his blue eyes serious as he looked
down at her after Bojay left the room to attend to his duties.  "I'll keep
my eye on him, along with some of my men.  If he gets any strange notions
to do anything near you, we'll know about it the micron the thought occurs
to him."
	With a sigh, Sheba shifted in bed, turning over so she was lying on her
right side.  She closed her eyes, but not before she caught a glance of the
chrono on her dresser.  Three hundred centars, meaning she had three more
centars before she had to get up to get ready for duty.  With a sigh, she
started taking steady tead of her
nervousness.
	His voice was slightly rough from the smoke he'd inhaled earlier in delta
section, but it was the voice she remembered.  "Five centons ago, I would
have answered 'yes,' but now..."  He gave a wan smile as he chuckled, but
otherwise didn't move from the chair.  "I have no idea what I'm supposed to
say right now."
	"You and me, both," she murmured in reply, feeling her cheeks redden
slightly.  She glanced back to where she'd left Starbuck and Cassiopia,
seeing that they hadn't quite moved from their embrace just yet.
	Part of her wanted to stomp in frustration, and she sighed as she
remembered the dream from the night before.  That had been so magical; why
couldn't something like that be happening right then and now?  Reality was
much more awkward.
	She looked back at Apollo, seeing that he was blushing, too.  She watched
his reaction, then heard his laugh as he shook his head.
	"Do you realize that we're staring at each other like two kids who are too
shy to talk to ebreaths, willing her body to relax so she could get
the extra sleep.
	Ten centons later, her eyes were open again, staring at the dark ceiling.
With a sigh of frustration, she got out of bed to dress.  If she couldn't
sleep, she could at least get some work done.  Going into the main area of
her quarters, she found that she wanted to check on her son, to watch him
the way she used to when he was younger.
	With a smile, she entered Josce's room.  She wasn't surprised to see that
he was fast asleep, and she was relieved that at least one of them would
make it through the night without waking up.  Pulling the blankets so they
would cover his shoulders, Sheba kissed his forehead, then watched him for
a few microns.  The way his dark hair fell across his forehead, his dark
lashes rested against his cheeks, and his lips were slightly parted; all of
those features reminded her of Apollo.
	Her son was one reason why Bojay might have had a point.  Seeing Josce was
like looking at a picture of the lost cach other?" he asked, and a grin quickly developed on his
face.  To Sheba's delight, it was the grin that she remembered so well.  To
her, it felt like the self-conscious barrier between them was beginning to
crumble.
	"Really, I hadn't noticed," she smiled in reply as she stepped forward.
Tentatively, she reached out to touch him, and felt her hand grasp his.
The moment their fingers were intertwined, and their palms were touching,
their gazes locked.  Sheba found herself staring into the green depths of
his eyes, and found her worries vanishing.  Without a doubt, she knew, this
was Apollo.
	Still holding her hand, he stood, and Sheba found herself looking up at
him.  She'd forgotten that he was taller than Bojay, if only by a
centimetron or two.  But any other thoughts left her mind as she felt the
fingers of his free hand brush against her cheek in the gentlest of
touches.  She closed her eyes, savoring both the feeling and the knowledge
that this wasn't a dream.
	"Sheba..."  His voice was aptain.  Not only had the boy
inherited his father's looks, but there were other times, especially when
Josce had his temper tantrums or became angry, that Sheba -- and Bojay, too
-- felt as thought it were Apollo who was staring at them with those angry
green eyes.
	"You're so much like your father," she whispered, not wishing to wake him.
 As she spoke, she studied his face, looking for something in his features
that came from her.  The shape of his lips, perhaps, and his nose.  She
reached down to brush the hair from his forehead.  "But please don't be
like him in that he left, never to come back.  I know it wasn't his fault,
that's the way war is... but even so.  You're the only man who hasn't left
my life, Jos."
	She heard him sigh softly in his sleep, and Sheba took that as a cue to
leave.  Leaving her son's bedside, she passed his desk before reaching the
door.  Seeing that some of his papers were disorganized, she tidied them
into one pile, then spotted a disc that was lying next to hisheavy with emotion, and when Sheba reopened her
eyes, she saw that his eyes were brimming with tears.  She heard his breath
catch in his throat, words unable to pass through his lips for several
microns until he finally whispered, "I love you."
	Hearing those cherished words, she laughed, hearing the tears in her own
her voice.  "Kobol, Apollo, I know.  I know, and..."  Her voice caught on a
sob, making her unable to finish.
	With trembling hands and a racing heartbeat, she felt him pull her into an
embrace.  As she brought her arms to encircle his waist, she realized the
two of them still fit perfectly together, just like they had while dancing
in the dream.  She smiled to herself, especially when she realized that his
pulse was going at about the same speed as her own.
	"Feels almost like something from a dream," he murmured.
	Sheba tried not to laugh at his words, especially since they were echoing
her earlier thoughts perfectly.  One hand slipped down to his hip level.
"Want me to pinch you monitor.
Recognizing a popular entertainment disc from the IFB, she picked it up to
examine in the poor light that came from the hallway.
	"Holy frak," she whispered, feeling her face darken in anger.  The title
was one she recognized, unfortunately, and had never expected to see in
their quarters.  Especially since she had told Josce that wasn't allowed to
read it. "'Criterion for Terra.'"
	With an irate look at her son's sleeping form, she decided to wait until
the morning to confront him.  She was still too easily angry with the
entire situation about Bojay, that she didn't trust herself to keep herself
under control.  Giving Josce another angry look, she left his room, vowing
that he would be grounded for the next few yahrens.  At least until he
reached the age of thirty.  Yes, that would probably suffice.
	Concentrating on her plans for Josce's punishment, Sheba closed her son's
doorway so she could head for her office.  She nearly jumped out of her
skin when she realized that there was s to find out?"
	She heard his laugh.  "Kobol, and you're just as dirty-minded as you were
before.  I'd take you up on your offer, but we're in public."
	Pulling back, Sheba regarded their sleeping son, then at the other
lifepods that were located about them.  No one appeared to be awake, but
she knew that Apollo was right.  Across the room, she noticed that Starbuck
and Cassiopia were giving them rather smugly satisfied expressions.
	"Maybe some place more private would be in order?" she asked, giving him a
sly smile.
	"Talking might be a good thing," he nodded, then glanced about the
lifebay.  He frowned as he noticed Cassiopia motioning to one of the
offices at the side of the lifebay.  "One of those, I guess?"
	She took the lead, heading for the nearest doorway.  Peeking inside, she
smiled as she realized that it was empty, and motioned for Apollo to go in
first.  As he passed her, she studied him carefully, realizing that she was
looking for more clues that it was Apollo.  In other ways, shomeone in the room with her.
Turning quickly, she recognized Cassiopia after a few microns.  Her friend
smiled at her, an apologetic expression on her face.
	"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," she said, when Sheba calmed down.
 "I thought you were asleep, and I didn't want to wake anyone up."
	The ghost of a smile appeared on Sheba's lips.  "That's all right, Cassie.
 I'm just a little on edge tonight.  Haven't slept too well."
	Her friend nodded sympathetically, and Sheba noticed that Cassiopia's face
looked drawn.  "Bojay?"
	"And some."  Sheba let the statement stand as she sighed, looking down at
the disc that she clutched in her hand.  She brought it up so she could get
a closer look at it in the better light.  "Look what I found in Josce's room."
	Cassiopia squinted to get a look at the title, then laughed.  "That piece
of entertaining felgercarb?  I read it when it first came out, and it had
me in stitches!"
	Sheba stared at her as though the blond woman were insane.  "You've read ie was looking
for signs of Josce in him, for ideas of what her son might look like in
yahrens to come.
	"Is everything with the ship secured?" he asked, setting himself on the
edge of the desk.  There was something about his posture, Sheba noted, that
hinted that he'd gained some composure since they initially saw each other.
 Instead of looking awkward, he looked more... like himself, or as close to
himself as he could get under the circumstances.
	"For now, yes."  She smiled, realizing that she felt like a lieutenant on
report.  It was a feeling that she didn't experience anymore, especially
since she'd taken command of the _Achilles_.  Only Apollo could succeed in
doing that, she was certain.  "My first officer has instructions to contact
me if anything changes.  Jolly tells me that the _Pegasus_ is on her way,
so we won't be out here drifting by ourselves."
	"That'll be a relief," he agreed, nodding slightly.  "I'm sorry about your
ship, though.  There's really not much left of your quartert?"
	"Oh, yes," she nodded enthusiastically.  "Krigul's got a flare for taking
the stereotypical qualities of a person and amplifying them to new levels.
You should see what they did to _our_ characters, not to mention Apollo and
Starbuck's!  But I admit that Josce's too young to be reading it.  I don't
think Derdre's read it, though, at least the last I checked, anyway..."
	"Knowing Derdre, it'll be in her hands sometime," Sheba chuckled, then
sighed.  "Well, I suppose that this is the least of my worries, but I'm
still disappointed that Josce didn't obey me.  How was it in the lifebay?"
	"The last of the wounded should be out of there in a few days," Cassiopia
replied, putting her arms in front of her to stretch her stiff muscles.
"There wasn't anything serious enough to take to the _Galactica_'s Life
Center, so that's a good thing.  The doctors you have aboard the _Achilles_
are very competent, I'm happy to report."
	"One thing that my father never liked was incompetent staff," Sheba
replieds, because of
the fire.  I'm not sure how much could have survived the flames, and then
the solenite."
	She smiled at him, especially at his condolences.  "Apollo, I'm just happy
that the ship's intact, Josce is safe, my father is on his way, and that I
have you back in my life."
	His cheeks colored again, and he smiled shyly.  "Well, we're getting down
to business already, are we?"
	"Small talk was never my forte," she replied, her own lips turning up into
a smile.  "Look, if you want, we can hold off this conversation for another
day.  I mean, you must be tired after what's happened today.  I know I am."
	He snorted.  "This is probably going to be the only chance in several days
that we'll have to talk about anything personal.  You'll be in endless
conferences with your father, who will probably steal all your extra
attention that isn't devoted to repairs or to Josce.  And we can't forget
about your old friends on the _Pegasus_ who'll be all clamoring for your
attentions."
	Old practical Ap, smiling in memory, "and I'd like to think that I've taken after
him in at least that area."
	A wry smile appeared on Cassiopia's lips.  "You're like your father in
more than one way, Sheba, don't worry.  And now," she was interrupted by a
yawn, "if you don't mind, I'll retire for the rest of the night."
	Sheba motioned to her empty sleeping chamber.  "Feel free to use my bed.
I won't be using it again until tomorrow night."
	"Thanks."  Cassiopia yawned again, then disappeared into the room, her
faint "good night" trailing after her.
	Watching the door shut behind her friend's back, Sheba headed for her
office.  There were many more messages on her monitor that she usually saw,
and most of them were progress reports about the condition of the ship.
She glanced through them, seeing that everything was satisfactory.  With a
slight smile, she looked through the rest.  Before long, she was finished,
and if they needed her authorization, she quickly gave it.
	Sitting back in her chair, she decided ollo.  Sheba laughed at his words, knowing that he was
undoubtedly correct with every point.  "Too true.  Still, do I detect a
hint of jealousy in your words?"
	For a few microns, she wondered if it was the wrong thing to say.  She
remember yahrens ago, when she'd teased him once about being jealous about
the attention she was giving Iblis.  While he had every right to be
concerned, he hadn't taken her words very well.  This time, he seemed to
take it in stride.
	"Well, in a way, I am," he admitted, shrugging slightly.  "Even so, it's
been at least sixteen yahrens since you last saw your father.  He takes
precedence over me.  Of course, I'll probably be busy with patrols and
meetings with Hagan that I'll barely have free time for myself outside of
sleep period.  That time, if possible, I'd like to spend with Josce, if he
wants."
	"I think he'll love that idea," she agreed, then glanced back at the
doorway, a slight frown on her face as she realized something.  "Though, he
might believe all thito get a head start on a few
reports she had to send to Core Command, mostly about fuel consumption and
any extra personnel that she might need.  Staring to type at her keyboard,
she nearly finished one when she heard her personal comline go off.
Swirling her chair to face the monitors, she answered it.
	"Yes?"
	Nicci's pretty face appeared, looking a little fuzzy due to a problem in
the signal that Wilker would have to iron out.  The _Achilles_' second
officer looked even more tired than Cassiopia had earlier.
	"_Captain, I think you'd better come up here,_" she reported.  "_I don't
know exactly what it is, but I've called Ludlow, too._"
	"I'll be right there," Sheba snapped, frowning slightly at Nicci's
enigmatic message.  Deciding against the jacket that went with her civilian
commander's uniform, she hurried up to the bridge.  When she reached the
lift, she ran into Ludlow, who looked as in the dark as Sheba felt.
	"Any idea what's going on?" he asked, shrugging into his jacket, then
runnis isn't real.  I mean, he's been told over and over
again that you were dead, and you heard what he said in there, about you
being his angel."
	"He mentioned it to me earlier.  It's odd to hear my own words coming back
to me, though," he reflected with a sigh.  "But who knows?  Maybe Boxey was
right about me being his angel.  I don't remember anything of those yahrens
when I was, well, dead, just like I don't remember anything that happened
yahrens ago with Iblis.  But I guess I really was there at the right time
today, thank Kobol."
	"And thank you for that," she replied, feeling a lump building in her
throat as she spoke.  The briefest flashes of horrible what-ifs appeared in
her mind's eye, before she had to consciously put them down.  "I can't
imagine what life without Josce would be like.  It's not even something I
want to consider!"
	"And I don't blame you.  Still, I'm the one who should be thanking you."
He held his hands out before him, a familiar gesture from yahrens past
meaning thatng his hand through his hair in a vain attempt to comb it.
	"Not a clue."  Sheba glanced at the lift's lights, noticing that they were
flickering slightly.  "Frak, not another thing that needs to be repaired!"
	"I think that'll be the story we'll hear for the next secton or more,"
Ludlow chuckled as the lift arrived on the bridge level.  They stepped out,
and were greeted by seeing nothing out of the ordinary on the ship's main
portal.  He stopped just short of the doorway, a frown on his face. "What
is this, a joke?"
	Nicci appeared in front of the two staring officers, shaking her head with
worry.  "I don't know exactly...  At least not yet, anyway.  We were on our
normal heading when the _Galactica_ told us all to alert our captains, and
to stand by for further instructions."
	"Thank you, Nicci," Sheba told her, walking around the bridge to her seat.
 She turned to address the communications console as she went.  "Can you
patch me through to the _Galactica_, please?"
	"Right away, Captain,"  he was at a loss for words.  "It's a long story, about what
happened, why I didn't come back.  I assume that Starbuck's told you most
of my story, right?"
	"Every fantastic detail," she nodded.
	"Typical, stealing the show," he grinned, then laughed self-consciously.
"No, I'm glad he did.  It's not exactly my favorite pastime, trying to
convince people of the truth.  Anyway, if I had come back, things would
have been so different, but even so, you raised our son by yourself.
Starbuck, Athena, Jolly, and even Giles and Brie, they have nothing but
praise for you and Josce.  I wanted you to know that it means so much to me."
	She felt her own cheeks blush in reply.  "I did what I had to do, and
maybe not the best way in several instances.  But I did it, just the way
you did with Boxey after Serina died."
	"True."  He smiled, then laughed.  "Well, so much for small talk, hmm?  I
think we've completely avoided the real topic at hand.  Look, Sheba, I know
what you're going through.  If you want to rshe replied, and a micron later, one of the screens
in front of Sheba flickered to show the bridge of the battlestar.
	"_Galactica,_" Colonel Tigh replied, looking as weary as everyone seemed
to be lately.  His dark face broke out into a grin when he recognized the
caller.  "_Well, Captain Sheba!  Trying figure out what's going on along
with the rest of the fleet?_"
	"Of course," she replied, smiling.  "How are you, Colonel?"
	"_At the centon, overwhelmed.  Every ship in the fleet's calling, and
Omega, Rigel and I, along with practically every other officer on the
bridge are trying to calm them down._"  Tigh's eyes darted to a point
off-screen for a few microns.  "_But to answer your next question,
Commander Adama has the fleet on red alert.  The Cylon fleet that attacked
us a few sectars ago was only part of a larger phalanx.  Our last patrol
came back with news that there's a force gathering not too far away, The
patrol also located an area of space that should be able to shield us
sufficientestart our relationship, or if
you don't want to just yet, I'll abide by your decision."
	For a few microns, she felt like all the weight was being placed on her
shoulders, and she wasn't comfortable with that at all.  "What about you,
though?  Do you want to continue?"
	"Yes."  The answer came plain and simple from his lips, but he almost
immediately relented.  "I mean, we might have to go a little slow --"
	She snorted this time.  "Another four yahrens?"
	"I said a _little_ slow, not a dead crawl," he shot back with a vaguely
irritated look.  "Fate played a trick on us last time because we went too
slow.  I'm not about to make that same mistake again, if we decide to
continue."
	"I understand," she nodded.  "I'm sorry for that."
	His smile was gentle.  "Don't worry, Sheba.  I was an astrum before,
insisting that we go slow, while I really wanted to go faster.  It's just
that I was frightened."
	"I remember our conversations," she replied.  "All right, I need to
decide, while you want to staly from the Cylons' scanners, so we're going through it
momentarily._"
	Sheba frowned as she glanced at the scanner readout that was near her
chair.  There was nothing around them that suggested a safe passage, except
for some aberrant readings in a section of space that was off-course from
their current heading.  "Where would that be?"
	"_Sectors sigma-eight and nine.  From what we can tell, there are a high
number of electro-magnetic fields, and those should be able to shield us
from their scanners._"
	"Colonel," Sheba began, tracing the area in question with a fingertip,
finding that the sectors Tigh had named were in the same area as the
strange readings.  "If there's electro-magnetic interference there, the
_Achilles_ isn't up to that kind of punishment.  I don't know if I can
speak for the other ships, but we're not even at sixty percent of our
operating efficiency.  There's still a lot of work that needs to be done.
How much interference might there be?"
	"_Moderate to minor,_" he replirt again.  I don't know...  Doesn't this all
strike you as odd?"
	"Why?" he frowned.
	"I still don't know if we have that..."  She cut herself off, since she
knew the answer that question.  She was going to ask about whether they
still had the same chemistry, but their earlier embrace answered that part.
 "Is it really love?  I mean, I think I still feel something for you, but
whether it's love or fond memories, or..."
	"Is that your way of saying that you love me?"  She looked up sharply at
his words, then noticed that his smile had returned and grown into a grin.
"If so, Sheba, then you should know that there's only one thing I'm certain
about, and it's that I love you with all my soul.  Despite everything
that's happened, my love for you is the only thing that's remained constant."
	She felt her pulse quicken, and to her surprise, she felt her eyes
moisten.  Bringing one hand up to wipe the tears away before they fell, she
whispered, "And I love you, too.  Gods, Apollo, I've missed you!"
	Hed.  "_We've been giving the advice to the
other damaged ships that they're to keep a lock on the ship directly ahead
of them, or whatever the case might be.  The thought behind that is that
each ship will be connected to the _Galactica_ via a chain of
communications going from ship to ship.  That way, we can keep the fleet
together despite the emfields._"
	"I'll instruct our navigator and helmsman to do just that," she replied.
"Anything else?"
	"_Not immediately,_" he said.  "_However, we'll be sending periodic
updates to keep all the ships' captains informed.  If anything comes up,
you'll hear about it._"
	"Thank you, sir."  Sheba smiled as she reached for the button that would
deactivate the comline.  "See you on the other side, Colonel."
	Tigh's tired smile was the last thing that Sheba saw when the monitor
faded to black, then she relayed the same instructions that Tigh had given
her to the bridge officers.  Settling back into her chair, she waited to
see what would happen.
	Ten centonsis own eyes tearing, Apollo rose from the desk, and went to embrace her
again.  She lay her head against his shoulder, and felt her tears running
down her face onto his shirt.  Whether they were tears of joy, or
frustration, she didn't know.  What she did know was the feeling of his
fingers as they brushed her hair as he held her tightly, as though she
might be wrenched from his grasp at any micron.
	"I've missed you, too," he murmured.
	They remained in that position until Sheba's tears were finished, and she
suddenly became aware of Apollo's arms around her.  His body was firm
against hers, and she closed her eyes, enjoying the real sensation of
having him again.  After a few microns, she had the urge to do something.
	Lifting her head, she brushed her lips against his neck, just enough so it
was a very light touch.  He squirmed at the touch, and Sheba tried not to
laugh.  It was the same old reaction that he always used to give.
	Satisfied, she pushed back against him, getting him to move bac later, the first ships in the fleet were beginning to enter
the quadrant, and Sheba kept a sharp eye on the readings that were coming
in.  So far, everything appeared to be just fine.  The _Ziv_, the ship they
had a lock on, was right on course, and along with it, the _Achilles_.
	"We're approaching the fields now!" the helmsman reported, bringing
Sheba's attention to the front of the bridge.  She was astonished to see
how clear this area was, compared to normal space.  Only the Void that
surrounded Kobol, which Sheba had only seen briefly while aboard the
_Pegasus_, had been this empty; but here, they could see the stars.
	"How long until we enter?" she asked.
	"Seven microns, ma'am!" came the reply.  "Six!  Five!  Four!"
	"Keep the scanners locked on the _Ziv_!" Sheba called.
	"Three!  Two, and one!"  With a final glide, the _Achilles_ penetrated the
edge of the emfield with the gentlest of shudders.  "We're in!"
	"Report on all stations!"
	"Nothing's changed," Ludlow stated.  "All systems akward until
he was sitting on the edge of the desk again.  With a smile, she moved her
lips up to his, and they kissed.
	For the next few centons, they forgot all that there was outside the door
of the office.  All that had happened before lay beyond the realm of their
immediate thoughts.  As a whispered phrase of long-forgotten poetry echoed
in Sheba's mind instructed:

	"Grasp when you have love,
	or risk being incomplete.
	For we were made for love,
	Whether bitter or sweet."


Part 18 - Fantasies and Realities

	A group of Cylons could have marched by, in full ceremonial dress
complete with marching band, and Starbuck wouldn't have noticed.  The
Imperious Leader himself could have strode right up to him to ask if
he could play a hand of Pyramid, and Starbuck would have ignored him.
	All that mattered to him was being held in his arms.  The only thing
that meant anything to him was Cassiopia.  All of his senses were
filled with her, his mind concentrated on the feeling of her body
agre either green or
yellow.  No reds."
	She nodded.  "Thank you.  Keep her steady, and don't lose sight of the
_Ziv_.  And I want to be informed if the _Galactica_ broadcasts anything.
Which ship is behind us?"
	"The _Vishtaspa_," Ludlow replied after checking.  "She's a Scorpion
freighter."
	For the next half centar, nothing extraordinary happened.  Sheba took the
time to review more reports and the status of the various repairs.  Direct
signals from the _Galactica_ had ceased by that time, with communications
instead being relayed from ship to ship.  Despite the calm condition on the
bridge, Sheba knew that it couldn't last, and it didn't.
	Nicci looked up from the scanner panels, alarm in her face as she looked
at Sheba.  The displays were blinking madly behind her, and before the
woman spoke, the deck below them shuddered slightly.
	"What was that?" Sheba demanded, looking at Nicci.  For the first time,
she really wasn't sure if she wanted to hear what the situation was.
	"Our engines, Capainst his.  His heart rejoiced, knowing that part of the void within
him was now filled.
	He'd never been one for poetry, but he was certain that the combined
love poems of every poet who ever lived couldn't match the intensity
of that eternal moment.  Everything was just right.  As far as he was
concerned, the last year or so was just a dream; some strange
nightmare concocted from his darkest imagination.
	Reality finally made its way back into his awareness, and
reluctantly, Starbuck pulled away from his wife, but still kept her
close to him.  He found himself out of breath, and from experience, he
knew that Cassie was in the same condition.
	"Hi," he finally said.  "Glad to see that you've missed me."
	She laughed as she wrapped her arm around his waist.  "Of course I
did, Starbuck."
	With a smile, he looked across the room to see how Apollo and Sheba
were faring.  He'd tried his best to get Sheba to understand
everything that had happened to Apollo over the last few yahrens,
things that htain.  The radion from the emfields is affecting them,
hampering whatever systems we have operating."
	"How badly?" she asked, getting up from her chair to view the displays.
The micron she saw the red numbers, she winced.  "That bad?"
	"I'm afraid so." Nicci replied.  "We're getting a message from the
engineering section, recommending that we power the engines down so they
can do emergency repairs.  They can't do them while the thrusters are going."
	"A dead stop?" she asked, then sighed at the second officer's nod. "Very
well, send a signal forward to the _Ziv_, and hopefully it'll get to the
_Galactica_ before too long.  Put an urgent priority on it, too.  While
we're at it, we might as well inform the other ships in the fleet that are
behind us to slow down.  Even if we have to stop, they can still go ahead
at a slower pace."
	"We're sending the messages out now," Ludlow acknowledged.  "Both the
_Ziv_ and _Vishtaspa_ responding; their captains want to know if we need
any assistance.  Captaie didn't even understand himself.  All he wanted was for
his friends to be happy, and to have the happiness that they deserved
after all these yahrens.
	To his relief, he saw Sheba and Apollo embracing.  Cautiously, it
seemed, they held each other, then Apollo closed his eyes tightly, as
though he were about to cry. It was as if holding onto Sheba was the
only way to keep himself under control.
	Looking down, Starbuck exchanged a smile with Cassiopia, seeing the
amusement in her eyes.  He grinned, then laughed softly in agreement.
	"Well, they do say that every cloud has a silver lining," Cassie
suggested, smiling as she watched the reuniting couple.  "Every story
has a happy ending?"
	Starbuck couldn't help but snort.  "Silver lining, I can live with. 
But since when does anyone have a story in their life that actually
seems to end?"
	"Oh, my, you've turned philosophical?" she teased.  "Or has my
optimist turned into a realist?"
	"Maybe both," he mused, turning away from his friends to look n Brunhilda says she can get techs over here within
a few centons' notice."
	Sheba glanced at the star field.  "I wouldn't risk a shuttle in the
emfield.  Tell her thank you, but we'll hold our own.  And speaking of
emfields, where exactly is it coming from?"
	"Well, do you want the short or detailed version?" her first officer
replied, not looking up from his console.  "We're powering the engines down
now, and we'll be completely stopped in fifteen centons."
	"Somewhere in between," she replied.  "I know a bit about spatial
phenomena, but I don't see how this situation has come about."
	"Mini black holes.  Too small to have much gravitational pull, and they
aren't growing anymore because they've consumed most of the matter in this
area of space.  Do you know anything about matter and antimatter?"
	She shrugged slightly.  "Just the basics from the Academy's physics
course.  If a piece of matter encounters antimatter, they'll explode."
	"Yeah, that's the basics of it.  When near a black hole, madown at
his wife.  "So, now that we got our formalities out of the way, how
are you?  Are you all right?"
	She nodded.  "Amazingly, I'm fine.  As soon as word arrived that we
were in trouble, I left Sheba's quarters, even though I'd barely
slept.  It's amazing what an adrenaline rush can do for a person."
	"Maybe," he frowned.  "I guess I'm just going to have to take you
over to the _Pegasus_ when we get a chance, so you can rest.  I'd
imagine that you've been on your feet for centars?"
	A slight smile came onto her lips.  "Only centars?  Try a day."
	"That would do it, too," he nodded.
	"And sleeping is looking more and more enticing every centon that
passes," she continued, glancing around the lifebay.  "I think the
worst of the casualties have arrived, and when the _Pegasus_ arrives,
we can transfer our heavier cases over there."
	"And then you're off your feet, even if I have to pick you up
myself," he said solemnly, then punctuated it with a smirk.
	"Yes, dear," she replied, reaching up tter and
antimatter split up and rejoin, lasting for barely a nano-micron.  In
theory, near mini black holes, because they have less gravitional pull, it
only gets one of the two particles.  The ones that are left behind compose
what looks to be what the holes are regurgitating out in the form of the
emfields we're experiencing."
	"I hope that's the only extent of it," Sheba said, going back to her chair
to sit.  "What's the worst these things can do?"
	"There hasn't been any actual observations made of the the deaths of mini
black holes, which is why it's only a theory, but, well, just picture our
current situation, only a few dozen times worse.  But that's only with the
very unstable ones, those on the verge of exploding."
	She looked at him with concern.  "And where do these ones classify?"
	"I don't know," he admitted.  "The _Galactica_'s been unable to scan any
of them, and we don't know how many there are; never mind what condition
they're in.  Just say a prayer or two or a dozen, and we'to adjust his crooked collar. 
When it was straightened, she glanced over at the other side of the
room, then suddenly moved her hand to point to the row of offices
located on their right.  She smiled slyly as she motioned.  "Oh, look,
they're going to talk."
	"Hmm?" he looked over to see Sheba nodding her thanks to Cassiopia,
with Apollo looking somewhat blissful with his arms around her.  With
a grin, Starbuck watched as the couple moved their way to the first
office, then disappeared inside as the door slid shut behind them. 
"About time."
	She nodded once, then stood up straight as one of the _Achilles_'
medtechs called her name from across the room.  Giving her husband an
apologetic look, she hurried over to join them, but Starbuck's voice
calling after her made her pause.
	"What is it?" she asked.
	"Is there anything I can do in the meantime?" he asked, his hand
waving to include the entire lifebay.  "I mean, there's got to be more
constructive things around here to do than watching my ll see what
condition we're in when everything's over."
	Nodding at his information, Sheba watched over her crew for the next few
centars.  Their ship was almost being constantly hailed by the surrounding
ships, asking for updates on their condition; many of those requests for
information were coming directly from the _Galactica_ via the ships in
between the two vessels.  Calmly, Sheba dictated replies to every message,
finally deciding to tell them all that they would give updates very half
centar, and if the situation warranted it, they would be coming more often.
	It was nearing the end of the sleep period when Wilker, along with the
_Achilles_' engineer, Estra, finally reported that the systems were
satisfactorily coming along.  Another two or three centars, Estra
estimated, and they would be better off than they were before entering the
emfields.
	Saying a quick prayer of thanks for small miracles, Sheba turned to Nicci
and Ludlow, looking for an update when she suddenly heard a sound.  Shfavorite doctor
in action?"
	She shrugged helplessly for a micron, then indicated some of the
other medtechs.  "Go ask them, they probably have a ton of ideas."
	And they certainly did.  For the next ten centons, Starbuck found
himself at the beck and call of several medtechs, allowing them to be
free to do more important work.  While he busied himself, he found
himself stealing glances at Cassiopia, seeing how she worked.  Every
so often, she could do the exact same thing.  It was as though they
were both thinking that they needed to make sure that they weren't
phantoms that would suddenly dissipate.
	When he had a free micron, Starbuck make his way over to check on
Josce.  The boy was still asleep, and even in his sleep, Starbuck had
to marvel at how much Josce and his father resembled each other. 
Josce had grown a lot since Starbuck had last seen him, and it
wouldn't be long, he knew, before he would outgrow Apollo.
	At every thought of his friend, he glanced back to the office and its
cle
frowned for a few microns, trying to place it when she realized that it was
the ship's emergency alarms going off.
	"What's going on?" she snapped, rushing to Ludlow's station to view the
consoles.  She frowned at the monitors with their displays of information
that didn't really make sense to her.  "Why is the klaxon going off?"
	Ludlow's features, usually light, were pale.  "I don't like it.  It says
that the emfields are building up, particularly in one area where there's
an increase in radion."

	A heavy feeling was building in Sheba's stomach.  "One of the black holes?"
	"Probably," he nodded.  "And I think it's ready to spit out a bit of
entertainment."
	"How are far away?"
	"There's an answer I can't give just yet," he replied.  "The scanners
aren't working that well, especially with all the radion and interference.
 But it's within distance of the fleet, that's for sure.  The _Galactica_'s
just sent a message back saying that they will send as much information as
possible when theyosed door, wondering what was going on inside.  Were they talking,
or were they getting to know each other again in a more intimate
manner?  For both their sakes, Starbuck sincerely hoped that
everything was just fine.
	Twenty centons after his parents had disappeared, Josce woke up
again.  This time, Starbuck was at his side, and he smiled down at the
confused face on the pillow.  The boy's green eyes had widened to
enormous proportions, reminding Starbuck more than ever of Apollo.
	"Starbuck?" he whispered.
	"Yeah, kid, it's me," he replied, ruffling Josce's dark hair, then
pushed it back from his forehead.  "How are you feeling?"
	"My head hurts."  With a groan, he sat up in the lifepod, then sat
still for a micron or two.  Finally, he looked around the lifebay, his
eyes narrowing as he searched.  "I think I had a dream that Mom was
here."
	"She was, but she's in one of the offices right now."  Starbuck
couldn't help the smile that came onto his face as he spoke the next
sentence.  "She's  localize it."
	Sheba sent a worried glance in the direction of the star field.  "I hope
it's not going to do what I think it'll do.  Keep me informed."
	"Well," Ludlow began, a wide-eyed expression coming onto his face as he
watched the radion levels, "I think what you hope won't happen is going to
happen."
	Her face paled.  "When?"
	"Any centon now."  He quickly gave an answer to her unspoken questions,
"And it's somewhere relatively close-by!"
	"Frak!"  She hurried back to her chair, slapping open the ship-wide
comline the micron she was seated.  "All hands, this is Captain Sheba!
There is every chance that the _Achilles_ will be hit by an energy wave any
micron now.  Brace for impact!  Repeat, brace for impact!"
	And then it hit.
	With a jarring shake that knocked anyone down who was standing, the very
deck seemed to leap up, then down.  Clutching the armrests as tightly as
she could, Sheba watched as consoles only recently repaired flared up like
mini novas, and the cries of officers reain there with --"
	He never had the chance to finish, as Josce suddenly grabbed his
hand.  "Starbuck!  Where have you been?  Everybody told me that you
were dead!  I didn't want to believe them, though!  How did you get
off the planet?  Tell me!"
	With a slight smile, Starbuck started telling him about how he had
been rescued by the _Pegasus_, and their adventures in the sectars
since, especially with Apollo.  When he spoke his friend's name, he
watched Josce for his reaction.  While he knew that it was Apollo who
had rescued him, he didn't know whether the boy had been conscious or
not.
	"You mean, my father?  That Apollo?" he asked, his face showing his
surprise.  His eyes took on a far-away expression.  "So it _was_ him I
saw!  But he's real?  Not an angel?"
	Remembering Boxey's story, Starbuck smiled.  "No, he's alive, just
like you and me.  Of course, there's more to it than that, but he's
still your father."
	"Oh."  Josce sat back in the lifepod, sighing as he did.  "So Mom's
talking tched her ears as the very ship
groaned.  The star field was lit by the sight of an enormously bright
explosion, then everything blurred as it felt as though a cosmic giant had
taken the _Achilles_ like a metallic Triad ball and thrown it across the
court of the universe.
	For a few microns, everything around ship revolved into nothing as every
sense intermingled with the other; an incredible soup of feelings, tastes,
sounds, scents and sights washed over her, pushing her to the brink of
consciousness...
	And just like that, it was over.
	Cautiously, Sheba opened her eyes, blinking as spots revolved around her
for a few microns.  Thick smoke was rising from the various consoles, but
most fires were already under control as bridge officers ran from station
to station with boraton extinguishers.  What klaxons that were still
working were going off, and Sheba was thankful when the volume was lowered
to a tolerable volume.
	"Anyone hurt?" she asked, gingerly getting out of her chair.  All around
ho him right now?"
	"Yeah."
	"Oh," he said again, then a grin came onto his face.  "Boxey's going
to be so happy to hear this!  I mean, to see you and Dad!  When are we
going to see him again?"
	With a wistful smile, Starbuck shook his head.  "I don't know, Jos. 
The _Achilles_ got lost from the fleet, but we're going to find it
just as soon as the _Pegasus_ arrives."
	"Okay.  Then you'll get to see Derdre soon, too."  He made a wry
face, which made Starbuck laugh.  Even after all this time, the two
children still weren't getting along very well.
	"Yeah, I guess I will..." Starbuck replied, imagining his daughter
from the picture that Athena had given him.  A thrill went through
him, when he realized that very soon, he'd be able to see her again. 
It wouldn't be long, he hoped.  The _Achilles_ couldn't have strayed
that far from the main fleet.
	He suddenly felt hands on his shoulder, and he turned to see
Cassiopia standing behind him. She smiled at him, then leaned down to
place a kiss on hier, the remaining officers were rising from the deck or their chairs,
looking very disoriented.
	"Just bruised," most murmured, though a few nodded that they were all
right.  A few scrapes and burns were visible, but nothing serious enough to
warrant immediate medical attention.
	"Good.  I want damage reports, and I want them five centons ago!"  Feeling
incredibly worried, she hurried over to Ludlow.  "Are the internal comlines
working?"
	He worked the controls, then gave a shake of the head.  "Only a few, but
the section of the ship your quarters are in can't be reached.  I'm sorry."
	With a quiet nod, Sheba knew that she couldn't go down to check on Josce.
One of the families in the neighboring billets would check in on him, she
was sure of that, but at the moment, her attention was needed with the
_Achilles_.
	The bridge began to empty of non-essential personnel, all those whose
skills weren't needed in repairing the bridge's stations.  Sheba hovered
around those who remained, supervising as cheek, before she turned her attention down to
Josce.  The boy was smiling slightly as he watched them, but at the
same time, looked like he was getting sleepy again.
	"How's your head?" she asked him, reaching out to push the hair away
from his forehead.  As she did, she peered at the bruise that was
completely uncovered when the dark strands were moved.  "It's looking
better."
	"It still hurts," he muttered.  "Cassie, where's my mom?  Starbuck
said she's talking with my father."
	She exchanged a glance with her husband.  "She's talking to him
privately, sweetie.  But you should go back to sleep, so your head
will get better.  Do you want something to make it stop hurting for
the moment?"
	"Yes, please."  Josce lay down to rest, as he waited for Cassie to
return with the painkiller.  Watching him, Starbuck reached out to
adjust the blankets around his shoulders.  He was surprised when a
smile appeared on the boy's face.
	"What are you grinning at, squirt?" he teased.
	"I'm just wondering ll the repairs with a watchful eye
until one of the officers gave her a blatant look that implied that she was
impeding his progress.
	As she reluctantly returned to her chair, Nicci called out that the
initial reports were coming in.  Sheba shook her head in amazement,
realizing that the crew were slowly returning to give oral reports of the
ship's condition.
	"The lower decks are unreachable," one replied.  "Power's been cut off to
those areas, and there's reports of personnel trapped in those regions.  A
lot of circuits have shorted out, but there's only smoke, no fires."
	"Most of the emergency systems are working though," a second added, the
micron the first was finished.  "The boraton fire control system's
off-line, though, and crews are trying to reach it as soon as possible."
	"I don't like the sound of that," Sheba snapped.  She was almost inclined
to ask how things could get worse, when she suddenly realized that the day
wasn't over yet.  "What else?"
	"The good news, Captain, is thawhat Bojay's reaction is going to be when he
finds out that my real father's alive."  The boy didn't say anything
else as Cassiopia reappeared with a hypo that she quickly pressed
against Josce's shoulder.
	"How's that?" she asked, reaching up to stroke his forehead gently. 
"Better yet?"
	"Much better already," he murmured in reply, visibly relaxing as the
throbbing in his head lessened to nothing.  "Thank you, Cassie."
	"You're welcome, Jos.  Now go back to sleep, and you'll feel much
better when you wake up."  She waited until the boy closed his eyes,
and quickly drifted off, then looked at her husband.  Her voice was
hushed but humorous.  "I wish Derdre was that easy to handle
sometimes..."
	Starbuck tried not to laugh.  "She comes by it naturally, love."
	"I suppose," she sighed, then smiled.  "She misses you, Starbuck,
though I can guarantee that the micron she sees you, she'll yell, 'I
told you so!'"
	"I try not to disappoint," he smiled at her, then frowned.  "But,
Cassie, if you're t while there have been minor fires, they
were put out almost immediately by personnel who were closeby at the time,"
a third said.  "There are also no breeches in the hull."
	"Captain..."  Nicci glanced up at the star field, looking past Sheba's
shoulder as she did.  "And while we don't have scanners working at the
moment, I can tell you right now that we have company."
	With wide eyes, Sheba turned slowly to face the same direction as Nicci.
There, almost directly ahead of them, was a squadron of eight Cylon
Raiders.  As they watched, the ships moved around to encircle the crippled
ship, moving like wary predators.  One ship darted forward for a micron,
firing in front of the _Achilles_ as though daring them to fight.  When the
ship didn't make a move in its defense, the squadron gathered in to gather
the ship.
	"Sweet Kobol..." Nicci whispered, closing her eyes as she said a silent
prayer.  All around them, every other officer seemed to join in, praying in
their own tradition.  A hush of quihere, along with me, who's taking care of her?  Is
she all alone on the _Galactica_?"
	"Boomer keeps an eye out for her, I know," she replied, her voice
quiet.  The smile that was on her lips quickly faded as she thought of
their child.  "And I always got help from Chameleon with her, too. 
He's the one watching over her now, actually."
	Starbuck tried not to snort too loudly.  "Chameleon, huh?  Great, now
the kid's going to turn out even more like me.  I was hoping I'd be
redeemed with her.  I mean, those card games I taught her before I was
marooned were fine, but Chameleon's going to teach her Pyramid, and...
 What are you laughing at?"
	"You," she said, kissing the top of his head while trying to contain
her laughter.  Starbuck frowned, waiting for an explanation for the
grin and chuckles that had appeared when he was discussing his
objection to the old con man's influence around his daughter.
	"What about me?" he asked, raising an eyebrow slightly.
	"Just you."  She kissed him a second tiet, almost submissive acceptance of
their fate fell over the bridge.
	Swallowing hard, Sheba turned away from the sight, a determined look on
her face as she strode over to the communications station.  She had to slam
her palms on the top of the console to snap the officer out of her daze.
	"No one is giving up here!" Sheba shouted, directing her glare at every
person on the bridge.  Sometimes she expected them to behave as warriors
did, and it was times like this that she wished she had professionally
trained military officers under her command instead of well-meaning and
under-trained civilians.  "The micron we surrender is the micron we all
die!  Is that understood?"
	A weak nod went around the bridge.  Looking into the officer's eyes, Sheba
saw fear, and she couldn't blame them.  The last time many of these people
had last seen Cylons at this close proximity, not counting other attacks on
the fleet, was back in the Colonies when the multitudes of Raiders were
destroying their homes and liveme, then seemed to
deliberately change the topic.  "They've been in there a long time."
	"They have?  Yeah, I guess so," he grinned, looked at the closed
office door again, then turned a mischievous grin to his wife.  "Think
I should go get them, or should we just leave them be?"
	"It's been over half a centar," Cassiopia mused, turning her gaze
back down to Josce's sleeping face as she spoke.  "Maybe they should
get going.  I mean, they both have responsibilities to look after. 
Sheba has the _Achilles_, and Apollo probably has to attend to the
squadrons, right?"
	"You're right about Sheba, but not Apollo.  He's just a pilot like
me."  The surprise on her face was almost immediate, and he hurried to
explain.  "He's not the highest ranking pilot, so he doesn't have the
same responsibilities, but he's in charge of our wing in Silver Spar
squadron.  It's a long story, otherwise."
	"Ah."  She glanced at the regular medical staff as they worked.  "As
for me, I think I'm done for the moment.  They's.
	"And so we're not going to give up!  Is the emergency comline working?"
	"Yes, ma'am, but it's our only out-going comline at the moment."
	"Then activate it.  We're going to send out a distress signal, and if
we're lucky, the _Galactica_ and the fleet isn't too far away."  She waited
until the officer had nodded that it was open, then she began to speak in a
calm voice.  "This is the Aquarian passenger liner _Achilles_ calling the
_Galactica_ or any other ship in the fleet.  We are heavily damaged, and
unable to give our coordinates.  We need immediately assistance, since a
squadron of Cylons are currently circling us.  We'll leave a marker beacon
on, and leave this message on repeat.  Please help us!  _Achilles_ out."
	Taking a deep breath, Sheba looked up as she heard a clank against the
hull above them.  Exchanging looks with her crew, she went up to join
Ludlow so they could prepare for what lay ahead.


Part 16 - The Blue Veil of the Night

	I think I was scaring my squadron to deatve got everything more
or less under control, which is a miracle in itself.  With the
casualties from the original Cylon attack that got us into this mess,
and now this latest one, I was thinking earlier that we'd be swamped
for sectons.  Part of me doesn't even think that it's over yet.  I
mean, the nightmare part."
	"In a way, it's not over yet.  We still have to find the _Galactica_
and her fleet."  He let out a breath of expectation and longing. 
"It's almost a dream come true, Cassie.  I have you again, and in
time, hopefully sooner than later, we'll be back with Derdre.  We'll
be a real family again.  I feel like a kid who's just got one present
at Solstice, and they're being promised that the second half will
arrive that afternoon."
	"I love the analogy," she replied with a sigh.  "Now, you'd better go
get them, or else they'll be there for centars."
	With a grin, he rose from the chair and made his way over to the
closed doorway.  Straightening his tunic, he reached up to knock
firmlyh.  Why?  Commander Cain had
finally replaced Hagan's wing with my own, and soon we were flying the deep
probes in the area of space directly ahead of the fleet.  These types of
probes often included us taking rest periods to conserve our resources, but
that wasn't where the problem -- or my problem, rather -- began.
	Every once in a while, while in my quarters, I'd wake up in a cold sweat,
almost bolting upright in bed.  Once I had caught my breath, and my heart
had stopped slamming into my chest like a thief trying to break into a
dwelling, I started to remember why I had woken up.  I'd been dreaming
again, and they were starting to get more and more realistic as the sectons
went by.  And not only realistic.  Some of them were downright terrifying.
	Truth be told, I don't even know when they started.  Never before had I
been so affected by dreams, not when I was a child, or as an adult.  But
after waking up from that coma, with the still-vivid images of the
_Galactica_ and her crew members in  on the doorway three times.  He waited a few microns, expecting
the doorway to slide open at any micron.  When it failed to do so, he
sighed and started a steady tattoo that should have given the couple
an idea that it was him.
	Finally, the door slid open, and Apollo stood there, looking mildly
irritated.  "Yes?"
	"Just making sure you're not both unconscious from fright," he
quipped, glancing in to see that Sheba was sitting on the edge of the
desk.  Both were neatly dressed, and their clothes were no more
wrinkled that Starbuck's own.  He heaved a sigh.  "Aw, come on, you
two!  Eleven yahrens, and you two are just talking in there like
nothing's happened?"
	Sheba laughed while Apollo rolled his eyes.  "Thanks, buddy. 
Besides, I'm on duty, anyway.  And the Life Center isn't really that
ideal a place for that kind of reunion."
	"Yeah, yeah," he said, waving off his friend's comments.  "Anyway, I
have the feeling that we're going to be getting guests from the
battlestar any moment, so bettemy mind's eye, that's when it really
started.  After the Elleguan altered the implant, the dreams became more
intense until the nightmares were fully developed.
	I told Starbuck about them, once when I was so shaken by the images in my
dreams that I couldn't go back to sleep.  A few sectons before, my friend
had taken me aside to find out what was wrong with me.  I had no idea what
he was talking about, but Starbuck was adamant.  He pointed out that I'd
been incredibly withdrawn lately, to the point where I only saw a few
people outside of duty.  Most people were asking about me, especially Athena.
	I'd felt guilty at the mention of my sister's name.  Although we'd spent
some time together since she had arrived from Whitby, it wasn't quality
time like what we used to have back on the Galactica.  And it was true, I
knew that the closeness of our previous relationship wasn't there, and I
knew why.  It was the topic of Whitby that was the source of the problem,
and I wasn't exactly sure if I wantedr for us to be ready when they arrive."
	"Good idea," Sheba said, rising from her position to stride for the
doorway.  She grasped Apollo's hand to pull him along behind her. 
"But there's been no word yet?"
	"None whatsoever," the lieutenant replied, watching them with a smile.
	"Then we'd better get going," she stated, passing Starbuck into the
main lifebay.  She was silent as she walked, feeling Apollo's fingers
wrapped around hers as thoughts flowed through her mind.  Things she
wasn't really ready to think about, ideas and concepts, flashed
through her mind, and she had to consciously put them away.  When the
right time came, she thought, that was when she'd think about them
properly.
	They ended up back at Josce's lifepod, and Sheba looked at Cassie
with concern.  "Is he going to be all right?"
	"It's just a bump on the head.  In a day, he's going to be as
energetic as ever," she replied.  "He had a bit of a headache, so I
gave him a painkiller so he could sleep better."
	"Good," Sheba  to hear the results.
	I finally had the courage to ask her about it, and it resulted in a
conversation that lasted for centars.  We discussed her feelings about
Father and how his quest for Earth was being paid in blood, as she termed
it.  We spoke of her decision to leave Boomer, taking their child with her.
 I couldn't be sure which part of the conversation bothered her more, but
as for me, I quickly grew angry, mostly about how she had just left Father
all alone.  It was an almost cathartic feeling when I yelled at her, and
she certainly was yelling back at me.  In the end, while we didn't exactly
see eye to eye on this, we at least had things in the open, and we were
able to see where the other was coming from.
	Telling Starbuck about the dreams, though, was a different experience than
airing my inner demons about Athena and her situation.  I'd dragged
Starbuck from his quarters so we could go have a late night snack,
insisting that he listen to what I had to say.  Over cups of kafe, I toldnodded, feeling Apollo's hand squeezing hers in
encouragement.  She glanced over at his concerned face, then realized
something.  "You know, since my quarters are destroyed, we're going to
have a bit of a problem.  Cassie, you and Josce should go aboard the
_Pegasus_ as soon as possible.  I can stay in one of the undamaged
quarters in alpha section, so I can stay aboard."
	"I've got room in my quarters for Josce to stay," Starbuck spoke up,
putting his arm around his wife's shoulders.  He was about to speak
again when he stiffened, realizing that he might be imposing in
Apollo's space.  "But you do, too, Apollo.  I'm sorry, it's just that
for yahrens..."
	What explanation could he offer?  Apollo smiled mirthlessly.  "I
know, I know.  You three have been here all along, but I need to find
my place in the group, even if I am his father."
	"It shouldn't take too long," Sheba said sincerely.  "Josce adjusts
pretty well to new situations.  It always made me envious, especially
when we moved to the 
him all the details.  When I finished, he simply looked at me from across
the table, then wondered if it was simply the stress we were all under.
After all, it had only been a few sectons since the massacre of the
Elleguan fleet.  And our wing was just beginning to get used to the heavy
flying schedule.  Those, and many other factors could be playing a role, he
said.
	I took that into consideration, and tried some of my usual means of
relieving stress; even some new ones.  It seemed to work at first, and I
was able to get through the night without waking up.  Then they started
again; the images of death, violence, fire...  What made it worse was that
I'd start to have them during the rest periods during the patrols, and I
think I probably scared the pogees right out Starbuck, Giles, Jolly and
Barthel when I first yelled while waking up.
	After that first incident -- I don't even remember the dream anymore --
Starbuck dragged me to the Life Center to have Tomalea check me over.  He
stood there_Achilles_."
	"Well, he didn't get it from me," he replied.  "When I was little, it
took me about three or four days to get used to Father when he came
home after a two-yahren absence."
	"Don't be silly, he got it from me!" Starbuck interrupted with a
grin, determined not to let them fall into any morose behavior. 
"Anyway, about quarters?"
	"Maybe it would be a good idea for him to stay with you," Apollo
mused.  "I have the feeling that I'm going to be on patrol a lot. 
Whether or not you'll be with me, I don't know.  Better for him to be
with you or Cassie than for him to be in my quarters, alone."
	"I'll make sure he gets over there," Sheba nodded.
	The decision made, silence fell over the four as they watched Josce
sleep for a few microns.  Starbuck was going to say something when he
heard the lifebay's door open, and two warriors stepped in.
	Sheba frowned as she felt Apollo's hand almost involuntarily tighten
as the colonel and the captain made their way over to the group.  She
recogniz like a guard daggit, making sure that I didn't bolt when the
doctor left for a few centons during the examination.  Even so, nothing
turned up.  The implant was functioning normally, and I seemed to be in
perfect health.  As for the cause of the nightmares, Tomalea was completely
baffled.
	And so they continued, once every few nights.  Thankfully, I would have
either no dreams or very benign ones in between, so I did get some
semblance of rest during those times.  Starbuck one time commented that he
wished the patrols would be scheduled in those respites, and I told him
that I agreed wholehearted.
	What was so disturbing about the nightmares was that while I remembered
the blatant parts of it -- the death, violence, and flames, or whatever the
case might be that night -- the rest was quickly forgotten usually microns
after waking up.  If the dreams were a sign that something was to befall
anyone, or had a particular symbolism, it was all lost on me.
	Even so, I was determined not to let the dred both, and while the man's name was having difficulty in
surfacing, she knew the woman right away.
	"'Ciana!" she called, letting go of Apollo's hand to go meet her. 
Poinciana's face clearly showed her confusion when she faced her, then
she broke out into a hesitant smile when she recognized her.
	"Sheba?" she gasped, nearly freezing to her spot.  Her blue eyes
flickered past her, to the lifepod and the people surrounding it.
	"It's been a long time," Sheba replied, reaching out to grasp her old
friend's hands with a smile.  "How have you been?"
	Poinciana stammered out a response, still in shock, but for a few
microns, Starbuck wondered if it was just an act.  Her gaze
continually moved from Sheba to where Apollo stood apprehensively by
the lifepod, and from the tense way Apollo stood, he was waiting for
all Hades to break loose.
	Oddly enough, it didn't arrive.  Poinciana seemed genuinely happy at
the moment to see her old friend alive and well.  Hagan did, too, as
he gave Sheba a smile aeams get in the way of my
duties, especially when Cain once pulled me aside to ask how I was doing.
Somehow, the word of my dreams had gotten up to him, probably from Tomalea.
 Only after assuring him that I was all right, and that if things got out
of control, I'd let him know, was I allowed to go on with my day.
	All in all, it was one of those things that I had to learn to live with,
and so did the wing.  If I woke up terrified, it wasn't something that
surprised them anymore, and Starbuck took the lead in calming me down until
I had myself under control.  Even so, I think there was still some
trepidation whenever we would go into sleep mode in our Vipers, and I
wouldn't have been surprised to learn that before drifting off to sleep,
the lieutenants were praying that I wouldn't have any nightmares.
	I was wondering that this time as I looked out of my cockpit at the other
four Vipers.  According to my scanner, they were powering down one by one,
until I was the only one awake.  With a sigh, Is he bypassed her to speak to Apollo and
Starbuck.
	"Are the Shelborn and company gone?" the lieutenant asked, not
bothering to listen to Sheba's conversation.  If Hades did break
loose, he'd hear it either way.
	"For the moment, they've departed," he nodded.  "Commander Cain sent
Sheelah and two other warriors after them, just to make sure they
don't stay, then skirt around to come back.  The Cylons left before
they did, and we doubt they're going to make it anywhere before their
fuel runs out."
	"Good news for once," Apollo nodded.  "Where's the Commander now?"
	"Still on the _Pegasus_, but he sent word to me that if possible,
we're to bring Sheba back with us.  I know the war quorum is itching
to get some first-hand information about the fleet," he added with a
smile.  "You realize what this recent event means?"
	"Yes and no," Starbuck replied, "but whether that's the same thing
you're thinking, I'm not sure."
	"If the _Achilles_ was separated from the _Galactica_'s fleet just
yesterday,  reached out to activate the
switches that would do the same with my ship, then closed my eyes to rest.
Sleep quickly claimed me.
	There was a long hallway, and I was standing in the middle of it.  Starkly
lit, its angles were extremely exaggerated, and nothing actually seemed
realistic.  Looking from one end to the other, I couldn't see anyone other
than myself; even so, it felt like something or an invisible someone was
pushing me forward.  I walked slowly, with the leaden feet that only
existed in dreams, heading toward my unknown destination.
	A door countless metrons from my original position was the destination,
and it opened even before I reached the point when it should have opened
normally.  With an enormous belch, demonic flames burst into the hallway,
reaching the wall at the other side.  I stood there, frozen in fright as
tongues and fingers of flame played and jumped from the main body of fire.
	The pushing began again, like someone had placed their hands on my back to
urge me forwthat means that we're near our destination," Hagan grinned,
looking from one man to the other.  "There's already wagers going
through the squadrons about when we'll exactly find her."
	"What's the best wager?" the lieutenant asked, immediately interested.
	"In money or time?"
	"Either, or," he prompted.  "Well?"
	"Last I heard, two hundred cubits that we'll find her before day's
out.  More conservative approaches are in a few days, or a secton."
	"Anything longer than a secton?" Apollo wondered.
	"A few," Hagan told him.
	A thoughtful look came over Starbuck's face.  "I should get in on
this.  Fifteen days is catching my fancy at the moment."
	"You'll do no such thing," Cassiopia teased, speaking up for the
first time from where she was checking on the adjacent lifepod.  "If
you wager, you're challenging fate."
	"No, just encouraging her," her husband replied.  "If we prompt her
to do something --"
	"She's not going to do it," she finished, glancing at Apollo just in
time to see the smile heard.  Instinctively, I recoiled, knowing that I would be
reduced to ashes if I even ventured near the fire.  But as though it were
alive, the flames seemed to turn toward me as I reluctantly approached, and
with a seductive glow, reached out to lure me in.
	Instead of burning, it felt cold, and I shivered as I entered.  It was
like I couldn't be touched by the elemental instigator of death, no matter
how much damage it wreaked on the room inside.  Although the room looked
like a normal barrack aboard any ship, the fire had been burning long
enough to turn the walls black, and to completely destroy anything that had
previously been in the room.
	Even so, there was still a sign of life inside.  Dancing in the flames,
oblivious to the damage and destruction all around her, was a woman.  Like
myself, she wasn't being harmed by the flames, but she seemed to be blended
into the flames as she danced.  Like beauty in the lair of a beast, I
watched her spellbound as she twirled about to music that I coul was trying to hide.
	"Whatever," he said in exasperation, then looked at the Colonel
again.  "Hagan, this is my wife, Cassiopia.  Cassie, this is Colonel
Hagan, in charge of the squadrons on the _Pegasus_."
	"Pleased to meet you," he replied, then looked over at Apollo. 
"Captain, I'm going to need your assistance.  Cain wants to arrange
patrol schedules so we have two groups in the air at the same time,
one on our flank, and the other one ahead of us."
	"Of course," Apollo nodded.  "Do we have to go now?"
	"As soon as possible, anyway," he replied.
	The dark-haired captain nodded, then knelt down next to the lifepod
so he was more level with the surface.  With a gentle touch, he
adjusted the blankets around his son's shoulders, then brushed his
hand against Josce's cheek.  Satisfied that he was comfortable, Apollo
carefully stood up, then went to Sheba's side.
	"I've got to go," he told her, pulling her attention away from
Poinciana.  He also didn't pay the captain any attention.  "I'm not
dn't hear.
She was so carefree and clearly enjoying herself that I finally took a few
steps in to see her more closely.
	When she whirled by me, I stopped, recognizing her.  Sheba.  Again, she
wasn't the Sheba of my memories, but the Sheba of the picture and my
dreams.  Her hair was short, and her face slightly older; even so, she was
so absorbed by her dancing that she looked yahrens younger.  She was
beautiful, and she was wearing the purple dress that I loved.
	My heart ached as I watched her, and finally, I gathered the courage to
reach out and grasp her hands.
	Like magic, the room changed.  Instead of it being filled with flames, we
were in a comfortably decorated room that was moderately lit.  Instead of
fire, vaguely recognizable music flowed freely, and it was as if it was
wrapping itself around us to draw us in closer.
	I felt just like Sheba looked, younger and freer instead of feeling
weighed down by responsibility and worry.  It had been yahrens since I'd
done anything like this, sure when I'll be available again, but you can always find me or leave
a message for me in my quarters."
	"I'll be sure to do that," she replied, putting her hands on his face
to draw him down into a kiss.  It lasted for only a few moments, but
she felt as though it gave her the strength she needed to do what had
to be done.  "Take care of yourself, then."
	"I will."  He gave her a hug, then pulled away to follow Hagan out of
the lifebay.  As they headed out the door, the Colonel's voice could
be heard, asking why Apollo wasn't in uniform, and Apollo's voice
faintly began an explanation involving fire and boraton.
	Starbuck tried not to react as he saw Poinciana's gaze lingering on
Apollo's retreating form, even when the door closed behind him.  By
slight frown bringing her eyebrows together, it was clear to Starbuck
that Sheba had noticed the obvious discomfort between the two
captains, but wasn't exactly sure what to make of it.  In time, he
knew, she'd know exactly what was going on.
	"We hthe joyous dancing of childhood.  I was soon
grinning as I spun with her around the room, and somehow, neither of us
ever crashed into any furniture.
	Finally, she opened her eyes to look at me, and I recognized the look of
absolute amazement on her face as she stared at me.  We came to a stop as
she snatched her hands from mine, and she continued to look at me in shock.
 I smiled down at her, completely understanding how she felt as I said,
"Don't stop.  You were having fun."
	Her brown eyes, still wide with surprise, met my gaze, but she didn't say
anything.  Instead, she just stared at me as though she were trying to make
sure I was real.  I watched as her eyes traveled across my body, and still,
she said nothing.  Finally, I reached out to grasp her hands again, holding
them as gently as I could.
	"Come on," I told her as I brought her close to me so I could hold her
against me, "let's keep on dancing, shall we?"
	She nodded silently, then I felt her arms encircle me.  Feeling her in my
aread to the _Pegasus_ now?" Sheba asked, seeing Poinciana's nod. 
"All right, just let me inform my second-in-command, and we'll be
ready to go in a few microns."
	Poinciana nodded, watching as she went back to the office to use the
telecom.  Her blue eyes traveled across the lifebay, then came to rest
on the lifepod that Starbuck was still standing next to.  With a
curious expression, she went to look inside, as though she were
looking into the den of strange and curious animals.
	"Is that him?" she asked, recognizing the immature features on the
sleeping face.  She glanced up at Starbuck, seeing him nod in
response.  A faint smile came onto her face as she looked down again. 
"Looks like his father."
	If he hadn't known her for the sectars he did, he wouldn't have
picked up the seemingly resigned tone to her voice.  It was as though
seeing Apollo reunited with Sheba was a wake-up for Poinciana; a
realization that she couldn't have the man she was attracted to.  For
the first time, Starbuck fems, I closed my eyes, remembering other moments like this.  While we were
together on the _Galactica_, we'd occasionally go to the _Rising Star_
along with our friends, and many times we'd ended up at the Astral Lounge's
dance floor.  I wasn't the most skilled dancer in the universe, but I'd
once had Chameleon give me a few lessons so I could suitably impress Sheba
for her natal day party.  Thanks to the old man, I was able to move with
her in a much more coordinated way, instead of moving like an awkward
teenager at his first dance.
	Everything felt right, and I savored the feeling of her body against mine.
 She had once joked that we seemed to be a good match for each other, since
her body seemed to fit nicely against mine.  Even now, it was true, and it
was perfectly enjoyable.
	We might have been together for a few centons, or a few centars, but
either way, something was telling me that the moment had to end.
Everything was perfect between us, but like all things perfect, they
weren't destilt sorry for her, knowing how it felt to
fall in love, but to have it rejected.
	Cassiopia was uncomfortable in the silence.  He could tell by the way
she seemed to hover, even though her feet were firmly on the deck.  It
was more like she couldn't stay in one place at once, and her smooth
movements led to the observation of hovering.  She pretended to be
busy with something, while glancing at the new arrival who looked down
at the boy so intently.
	As for Poinciana, Starbuck knew that she was a little on edge.  There
hadn't been formal introductions, which he somewhat regretted, but the
captain was intuitive enough to quickly realize that the doctor who
stood before her was none other than her predecessor; Cain's
pre-Molecay lover, Cassiopia.  Between being torn over losing any
chance of gaining Apollo's attention, and her constant attempts to win
back Cain's favors, Poinciana was feeling surrounded.
	"Was there any word on whether we can bring casualties over to the
_Pegasus_' Life Center?" ned to last.  Feeling her hair pressed against my cheek, I
moved my head until my lips were near her ear.
	"Sheba..." I whispered, not really wanting to ruin the moment.  Even so, I
had to say something.  Very slowly, she lifted her head to meet my gaze,
and I felt my eyes tearing as I realized that very shortly, I'd be awake in
my Viper empty-handed.  I hated dreams where I knew I was asleep, and this
was in no way an exception.
	Seeing that I was going to speak again, she reached up to kiss me.  It was
a chaste kiss, nothing like what I'd done with Sheelah the night of my
natal day, but it still sent shivers down my spine.  It was also enough to
make me fall silent as I found my breath catching in my throat.
	She'd always been good at setting the standards for our relationship, and
with the kiss, she told me that I wasn't to say anything else.  While I
tried to recover, I felt her arms tighten around me, pulling me closer than
before as she lay her head back on my shoulder.  Her body against mshe finally asked, immediately attracting
Poinciana's attention.  The female warrior stood straight, emerging
from her thoughts to respond.
	"From what I understand, yes.  We have a shuttle here, so we can take
over some of the worse cases, if you'd like," she replied.
	The doctor nodded.  "That would probably be a good idea.  Let me go
discuss it with the lifebay's staff."
	"Cassie!"  Starbuck voice caught her attention before she could
leave.  "What about Josce?"
	"We can take him, too."
	Sheba reappeared a few microns later, looking optimistic as she
rejoined her friends.  "Ludlow says that the basic systems are
secured, and techs from the _Pegasus_ are arriving to help with the
repairs."
	"Good news for once," Starbuck nodded.  "Cassie's seeing if we can
bring some of the wounded over to the _Pegasus_.  We'll bring Josce
over, too, if we can."
	"So a few more centons, then?"
	"Something like that.  We can probably help bring the lifepods down
to the launching bay to load the shuttle."  ine
commanded me to continue dancing, and with a sigh, I obeyed.  This time, it
wasn't as enjoyable, because I started to feel uncomfortable.  There was a
definite something there, almost like a third person watching our private
moment like a voyeur.
	And then I heard it.  A soft voice calling from afar.  I tried to ignore
it, but it grew stronger.  I gritted my teeth, but it grew louder and more
insistent.  Almost apologetically, I murmured Sheba's name again, while
glancing back to make sure that I at least had these few remaining microns
with her alone.  There was no one visible, and I turned my attention back
to Sheba, finding that she was looking at me again.
	"Apollo," she said, and hearing my name pronounced with her voice was like
music to my ears.  "I..."
	I placed my finger gently on her lips, while I felt the old emotions
building up.  My love for her, my anger at not being able to be with her in
reality, and the sadness it caused.  And every other emotion in between.  I
struggled tHe smiled at her, looking
a little concerned.  "How are you holding up?"
	"Surprisingly well," she replied with a laugh.  "You?"
	His smile grew into an enormous grin.  "Sheba, I'm going to have to
sit you down one day and tell you the story about when I came aboard
the _Pegasus_.  Apollo has a twisted sense of humor, and he'd never
warn me when something would happen.  It's a miracle that I didn't
have a heart attack.  Wouldn't you say so, Poinciana?"
	She looked surprised at being included in the discussion.  "What? 
Oh, right.  I remember you were presented with surprise after surprise."
	"Yup."
	Cassie came back shortly, along with a team of medtechs who began
going to different lifepods to prepare them for the journey down to
the shuttle.  With a few instructions, they transported five lifepods,
including Josce's, down to the landing bays.
	Before long, they were on their way over to the _Pegasus_, and Sheba
found herself getting excited.  How long had she been waiting for
this, to see ho keep the emotions under control, but when I spoke, I knew it
was a useless struggle.  I just hoped that I wouldn't break down before I
could finish speaking.
	"I love you, Sheba."  Feeling myself wanting to lose control and just weep
in her arms, I instead held her tightly to me.  I wasn't sure if she was
startled, but I was too intent on getting my words out before we ran out of
time.  "I want you to know that.  I love you..."
	I thought that she might try to say something, and I smiled wistfully,
wishing that this were really happening.  But then the woman in my arms
abruptly disappeared, only to be replaced by a burst of flame that went
high into the air.  I jumped back, finding myself surrounded by flames.
This time, I wasn't being protected.  I watched in horror as first my
clothes and hair disappeared into ashes, then felt the agony of the flames
eating their way into my flesh.
	I must have screamed out loud, because I was jarred awake.  My scream
seemed to echo in my helmet, ricochetiner father again?  It seemed like forever, but the more
realistic part of her mind told her it had been more than fifteen
yahrens, closer to sixteen.  Too long, either way.
	She'd been crushed when she'd been visited by Adama, Starbuck and
Apollo in the _Galactica_'s Life Center after her father had sent her
there, along with the other wounded, so he could launch his attack on
the three Cylon baseships.  She wasn't in pain anymore, but she was
still tired.  She was determined not to fall asleep, though, as she
waited for word of her father.
	There was something about their expressions that told her that it
wasn't good news.  Apollo and Starbuck moved quietly to her left,
while Adama stood directly before her.  Not sure if she wanted to
know, she asked anyway if there was anything.  But they'd shaken their
heads.  To her surprise, though, Adama literally told her that he
didn't believe for a micron that the Juggernaut was dead, even if it
weren't those exact words.  Apollo and Starbuck had agreedg against my ears until they were
sore.  My body ached with the imagined remembrance of pain, and I had to
look down at my hands to make sure that I wasn't a hideous mass of burns.
	"_Apollo,_" Starbuck's voice called to me, a welcomed sound.  "_Buddy, are
you okay?  We're on a private channel, so feel free to tell me what's
wrong.  I'm the only one who heard you scream, if you're wondering, so
start talking.  Okay?_"
	I sighed loudly, reaching up to touch my face through the helmet's front.
I had been crying, and my cheeks were damp against my fingertips.
Carefully, I brushed as much of them away as I could, then replied in as
steady a voice as I could, "It's over, Starbuck.  I'm awake, it's all right."
	"_You could have fooled me,_" he shot back.  "_Bad one this time?_"
	"Oh, just the normal type of fun," I told him.  "Except...  Sheba was in
this one, Starbuck.  Usually I just watch her in my dreams, but this time,
we were dancing.  Just the way we used to..."
	"_Hmpf.  I fail to see where t with him,
and, in her heart, she knew that she agreed with them completely.
	And now, she knew that they were all right.  She was going to go see
her father in a few centons; something she'd always expected to do. 
After the shock of seeing Apollo again, the last thing she ever
thought she'd be doing, since she'd believed him dead and gone, Sheba
was ready for anything.
	So she thought.  They arrived on the _Pegasus_, and she recognized
the old battle scars on the hull, along with some new ones that she'd
attained in the yahrens since she'd left.  She listened as Starbuck
explained that the _Pegasus_ was alone at the moment because her fleet
was elsewhere, and while that had her curiosity, it didn't bother her
much.
	Cain was waiting outside in the landing bay, along with several other
warriors.  As they came out with the first of the lifepods, a group of
medtechs rushed up to relieve the warriors of their charge.  Seeing
that Josce hadn't been brought out yet, she took the opportunity to
sthe nightmare fits in,_" he said
light-heartedly.  "_All your other dreams about Sheba are usually good.
Except if you stepped on her feet, or if you saw Bojay standing over you
like an incredible giant?_"
	I glared in the general direction of his Viper.  "Not funny."
	"_Sorry.  Look, Apollo, we've really got to figure out what's the story
with those nightmares.  What else happened?_"  Despite his cheekiness, I
knew that Starbuck really wanted to help me put these demons to rest.
"_You were dancing with Sheba and then what?_"
	"Oh, it was quite spectacular.  She burst into flame, and I was burning
alive."  I adopted a light-hearted tone, even though it bothered me
greatly.  "Nice, huh?"
	"_I wish Cassie were here._"  The longing in Starbuck's voice was all too
familiar, since I suffered from a similar kind.  "_I mean, other than the
normal reasons.  Maybe she could figure out what was wrong?  I mean, she
was good at psychology.  She'd probably be able to figure out that your
subconscious whatevep forward toward the assembled warriors.
	"Baby!"  Her father's nickname for her rang out clearly over the
excited murmurs of the warriors.  Some she recognized, others she
didn't.  On a second glance at the crowd, there were two people who
weren't warriors.  One was a child, while the second was an older
woman.  Both were vaguely familiar, but she ignored them as she felt
his arms enclose around her in a comforting embrace.
	"Father..." she murmured against his shoulder, letting him hold her. 
How long had she waited for this?  The strength of her father's hug
seemed to melt the yahrens off her, taking the weariness away. 
Inside, she knew that somehow, things would turn up all right.  With
both Apollo and Cain to help her, things would be definitely all right.
	Starbuck watched with a smile as the father and daughter reunited,
then his attention was attracted down to Meve, who was standing by her
father.  Her blue eyes were wide and staring as she looked at the
woman her father was holding. er is affecting you.  Easy, huh?_"
	A wry smile came onto my lips.  "Of course."  If only it were that easy...
	With a sigh, I looked down at my scanner, seeing what had changed during
my uneasy rest.  If anything significant had appeared, I would have been
notified by an alarm; as such, when nothing new appeared, I wasn't
surprised.  Another glance at the other three Vipers told me that the
others weren't out of their slumber yet.
	"_Well, shall we try to get some more rest?_" Starbuck wondered, sounding
like he was as unimpressed with the incoming scans as I was.  "_I mean, I'd
hate to miss the passing scenery and all that..._"
	"Yeah, that's probably a good idea," I replied.  "We still have a few
centars to go, still."
	"_Ouch._"  It was his turn to sigh, but then there was a silence on the
comline.  I frowned, wondering what he was doing when his voice, full of
alarm came back onto the comline.  "_Hey, did you feel that?_"
	"Feel what?" I demanded, wondering if my insanity was catching.
	" A strange expression was on her face,
somewhere between jealousy and curiosity.
	For another centon, she watched them as traffic from the shuttle
began to increase.  The last lifepods were coming out, and Starbuck
spotted Josce's emerging last.  Cassiopia was supervising the
transfer, and her attention was being occasionally distracted by the
sight of Cain.
	His heart sank.  Cassie and Cain.  Why hadn't he thought of that
before?  Logically, he knew that there wasn't the relationship that
had existed before.  Cassiopia had told him that much after the
_Pegasus_ had been lost again; they'd tried to restart their
relationship, but the old chemistry wasn't there.  That, and they'd
both changed.  She didn't need him, and she had Starbuck now.  But
that didn't stop the insecure side of Starbuck from wondering.
	Distracted by his thoughts, he was surprised when he saw Ila passing
the commander and his daughter, and then passing by Starbuck, to head
directly for Josce.  There was a look of amazement_Something just jarred my Viper,_" he told me, his voice carrying a note
of incredulity in it.
	"What do you mean, jarred your Viper?" I demanded, but I was quickly
answered when I experienced the same thing.  My ship shuddered slightly, as
though going through the briefest bit of turbulence.  "Wow."
	"_Uh, huh._"  He sounded so analytical, and I was about to give a rude
comment in reply when he continued.  "_Whatever it was, it wasn't strong
enough to disturb the other guys._"
	"I noticed that, but what was --"
	My questions were interrupted by his yell.  "_Holy frak!  Apollo, quick!
Turn to the emergency comline!_"
	My frown deepened as I followed his instruction, and a new voice came
through the speakers.  A new, yet very familiar voice.  I felt my heart
begin to pound in my chest again as I listened to Sheba's words.
	"_... are continuing from last report, _Galactica_... ship on fire._"
Those words made the pounding worse.  "_...addition to Cylons, we're being
attacked... squadron of Cylons along... two other groups of unidentified...
 Repeat... the Aquarian... liner _Achilles_ calling the _Galactica_ or...
in the fleet...  Please assist!_"
	"Starbuck," I snapped, once Sheba's voice faded away into static,
"pinpoint the _Achilles_' location.  I want to know _exactly_ where she is!
 I'll wake up the others."
	"_Right away!_"  By the tone of his voice, I wasn't sure if he was
frightened or excited, maybe both, but I didn't have time to contemplate it
as I started to bark out orders.
	"Jolly!" I called.  "Giles, Barthel!  Wake up!"
	A few groans were heard over the comline line, and I watched as the other
Vipers came fully on-line.  After a few microns' hesitation, I could hear
voices that were just about awake when Jolly spoke, "_We're two centars
ahead of schedule, Skipper.  What's wrong?_"
	"We're getting a distress signal," I informed him.  "From the _Achilles_."
	"_Sweet Kobol!_" Giles whispered, and Jolly echoed him in his own native
language.
	"_What's the Achilles?_" Bart on her face as she
looked down on his sleeping form.
	"My lord," she whispered as Starbuck came to stand next to her.  "He
looks just like his father!  If I didn't know better, I'd say that it
was Apollo who was lying in there."
	"You can say that again," he murmured.
	The siress laughed, then turned to face the commander.  "Cain, come
see!"
	With a slight frown, Cain disengaged from his daughter, and felt her
grasp his hand as he went to join Ila.  On his other side, Meve
skipped and jumped to keep up with him.  Together, they looked down at
the small dark-haired face, and Cain shook his head in amazement.
	"Pictures are one thing, but seeing it in reality is another," he
said slowly, then his frown returned as he spotted his grandson's
bruise.  With a look of alarm, he looked up, and met Cassiopia's
blue-eyed gaze.  "Is he all right?"
	"He'll be fine," she assured him with a gentle smile.  "It's nice to
see you again, Cain."
	"And you, my dear."  As though to formalize the distance that hhel asked, genuinely not knowing.
	"It's the ship my younger son is aboard," I told him, suddenly feeling as
though my pounding heart would drop down into the cold pit of fear that my
stomach had turned into.  "And his mother, too."
	"_Good news and bad news,_" Starbuck announced after a centon.  "_Good
news, the _Achilles_ isn't too far from here, probably just a few centons
at full speed.  Bad news, there's no sign of the _Galactica_ or her fleet
anywhere.  Nada, nothing._"
	"Well, we have to let the _Pegasus_ know where we're going," I announced,
springing into action.  "We'll send an emergency message back to the
_Pegasus_, and hopefully she'll be here soon.  In the meantime, we'll go
assist the _Achilles_ in the time it takes for the _Pegasus_ to arrive.  If
we're lucky, we can get her away from the Cylons."
	I could just about hear their apprehension as Giles asked, "_Cylons?_"
	"_Oh, yeah, Apollo didn't mention them?_" Starbuck replied, his voice
sarcastic.  "_By what we heard, it soundsad
never been between them before, he took her hand and kissed it gently.
 "My belated congratulations, both on catching Starbuck, and on your
daughter.  And I promise you we're looking for the _Galactica_ as we
speak."
	Her cheeks turned a light pink as she smiled.  "I didn't have a doubt
in that, Cain."
	"Good."  Feeling a tugging on his sleeve, he looked down to see Meve
trying to get his attention.  When she knew she had him, she pointed
at the boy sleeping before them.
	"Who's that, Daddy?"
	Sheba's jaw fell slack as she seemed to really notice the girl for
the first time, as Poinciana gently scolded her from a few metrons
away on how it was impolite to point.  To Sheba's surprise, she saw
several smiles around her, though Cassiopia was as shocked as she. 
The silver-haired woman she'd seen before, who had already been at the
lifepod, was smiling gently.
	And if possible, her jaw would have fallen further.  The smile, with
the way it made the corner of the woman's lips turn up to dimple her
cheeks, was all too familiar.  It was one she'd seen on Josce's face,
and on Apollo's.  The woman's features, too, were very similar to
Apollo's, and if she looked hard enough, she could see Athena in her,
as well, especially in and around the eyes.
	"This is Josce, sweetie," Ila told her.  "Apollo's boy, and my
grandson.  And I suppose he'd be your nephew."
	That did it.  If she weren't already near her father, with his arm
around her, she would have collapsed from shock.  There had been just
too many things happening, and her brain, already hesitantly accepting
that Apollo and Starbuck were back in her life, rejected everything
that was being thrown at her.
	"Sheba!"  Starbuck spotted the way her face went pale, and the way
her brown eyes widened to enormous proportions.  In a hurry, he went
to her other side, grasping her arm.  "Sheba, are you all right?"
	She nodded numbly, taking a deep breath to steady herself as the
world threatened to reel away in an unruly dance.  She knew that a like our old friends the Cymorth
and Shelborn are there, too._"
	"_Tabernac,_" Giles swore.
	"Give us the heading, Starbuck," I ordered, beginning to feel impatient
over the fear I was experiencing.
	"_Take an alpha-nine heading,_" he replied.
	Simultaneously, we headed in that direction, firing our turboes to hurry
to the _Achilles_' aid.  All the while, I was hoping and praying that
things weren't as bad as what my imagination was showing me.  Every kind of
worse-case scenario was playing out in my mind, from the ship losing its
complete airlock to their being trapped and burning alive.
	"_I got 'em on my scanner!_" I heard Barthel announce a few centons later,
and my eyes automatically looked at my scanner.  Not able to see anything
there, I extended the range, and finally, I caught sight of the besieged
ship.  The symbols representing the alien ships were like a mass of insects
swarming over a rotting corpse.
	Our guesses had been right.  Almost immediately I spotted the familiar
sight oll
the eyes in the immediate area were focused on her, but she didn't
care as she forced herself to calm down.
	"What's wrong?" her father demanded, his grip on her right arm
tightening in worry.  "Sheba, what's wrong?"
	"She's had a long day," Starbuck told him, his voice concerned. 
"Everything's probably catching up to her right now, and all these new
surprises probably aren't helping."
	She could hear Cain about to speak, and she opened her eyes, feeling
herself steadying.  Before he could voice a word, she spoke.  "I'm all
right.  Starbuck's right, though.  This is a bit of a shock, but..."
	He peered at her, a concerned expression on his face.  "Are you sure?"
	A half smile on her face, she tried to nod.  "Yes."
	He was unconvinced, and before he could continue, he was interrupted
by the girl on his other side.  "Daddy, if she says she's okay, she's
okay."
	"Meve..." he warned, then glanced over at Sheba.  "Ah, I think I see
what you mean by too many surprises.  Sheba, this is Meve, youf a dozen Cylon ships near the bulky ship that I vaguely remembered
seeing from my yahrens in the Galactican fleet; and there, too, was the
familiar sight of the  Cymorth ships buzzing about them.  Sitting off to
the side, as though eagerly waiting to see who would ultimately lose, was a
Shelborn freighter.
	The hull of the _Achilles_ was a mess, covered in wounds both old and new.
 I could see the seams that showed where the older wounds had been
repaired, and I wondered how much stress it would take for those to burst
open.  I prayed that it would take a lot more as I started issuing orders.
	"Looks like the Cylons and Cymorth are busy knocking the pogees out of
each other," I observed.  "Starbuck, you're in charge of keeping
communications open with the _Achilles_.  See if they can get the ship out
of the immediate area.  The micron she's out of danger, we'll be able to
concentrate more on the others until they're no longer a threat."
	I could hear the unspoken question in Starbuck's voice, br
younger sister."
	"Half sister?" she asked, as she looked down at the girl.  Meve was
smiling, and there were definitely Cain's features to be found on her
face.  "By...?"
	"Me," Poinciana said, looking at her carefully.  "I should have told
you earlier, Sheba, while we were still on the _Achilles_, but I
didn't get a chance."
	Her eyes moved from her father's face, to her friend's, then down to
the child who was her sister.  A sister who was thirty yahrens or more
younger than her.  A sister who looked to be the same age as her own
son... who would be the girl's nephew?
	"When?" she asked.  "I mean, how long?  Are you still together?"
	Poinciana simply looked at Cain, waiting for a reply, while her
father wasn't too sure how to answer the question.  Instead, the older
woman stepped forward to take charge of the situation.
	"You can continue that in private," she said quietly, referring to
the three at once.  Her blue eyes then looked only at Sheba.  "Hello,
I'm Apollo's mother, Ila.  I'veut I hoped he
realized that if I spoke to Sheba now, or if she spoke to me, neither of us
would get our jobs done.  "_Okay, hailing her now.  Want me to say that
you're --_"
	"Don't even mention me," I snapped.  "At least, not until later."
	"_Right..._"  He certainly didn't sound too keen about it.
	I looked at the scanner, seeing that nothing had changed, other than the
fighting just continuing.  I studied the area, trying to decide what to do
next.  We weren't on either of their sides, and trying to interfere would
just be suicide.  The Cylons would automatically try to fire on us, and the
Cymorth would probably do the same.  All we could do was make sure that the
_Achilles_ stayed out of further harm's way.
	Like a person afraid of heights while crossing a high bridge while
terrified of looking down either side, the _Achilles_ began to inch
forward.  At first, it appeared that the alien vessels hadn't noticed, and
I held my breath, praying that she wouldn't be noticed. But after a few
micr heard a lot about you from Apollo over
the last four yahrens, and I'm very pleased to meet the mother of my
grandson."
	Such a diplomatic way to put things, Sheba noted, but she was the
only person who was being forward.  Disengaging herself from her
father and Starbuck, she murmured the same thing, and reached forward
to shake the woman's hand.  Instead of the grip being accepted, she
instead found herself being embraced very warmly.  Surprised, she
returned it.
	"Now, I realize you're tired," Ila continued after a few microns,
"but we must discuss a few things before you rest.  After your rest,
we can continue, but we need to get a few formalities out of the way."
	A smile came to Sheba's lips are she recalled Apollo telling her
about his mother.  One thing that he had always said was that she was
always good at smoothing situations, which had often been useful while
he had been a teenager, intent on confronting Adama on just about
anything.  Ila had obviously never lost her touch.
	"Formaons, a Cylon ship started to move in her direction, and was immediately
daggited by a Cymorth that quickly destroyed it.  Seeing that the second
alien ship was intending to reclaim the _Achilles_, I moved my Viper
directly in front of it, firing my lasers in a warning round that
deliberately missed it -- but not by much.  Obediently, the Cymorth backed
off to return to the main fray, but not too far away from my position,
Jolly and the others were going through similar situations.
	"Hey, Skipper!" Giles called.  "I just noticed something..."
	"What?" I asked, seeing that other than the ones being chased away, most
of the Cylons and Cymorth were remaining in the battle.  The Shelborn, on
the other hand, hadn't moved a metron, and truth be told, they were the
ones I was getting to be concerned about.
	"Remember what we told you about Whitby?" he began.  "How it was only one
Cymorth ship that wiped out our fighters and the Cylons?  Well, there's a
bunch of them here, but they're on equal odds with lities sound good to me," she nodded.  "Where shall we go? 
Your office, Commander?"
	Cain nodded, relieved at the respite.  Starbuck tried not to smile as
he tried to imagine the heated conversation that would come later on. 
Then again, he also wondered why Apollo simply hadn't told her earlier
about Meve's existence; for that matter, why hadn't he told her?
	"My office will be fine," the Commander said.  He issued a few
instructions, and the group began to disassemble.  Cassiopia went with
the other medtechs, taking Josce's lifepod with them.  Poinciana
bundled Meve off with them, intent on getting her daughter back to her
learning period after the break.  The girl was a little disappointed
from the reception, Starbuck could tell, but being Meve, she'd quickly
get over it.
	He followed Cain, Sheba and Ila as they headed for the opposite lift,
tagging a little behind so he wouldn't get in the way.  There really
wasn't much conversation between them.  Instead, they were all intent
on studyingthe Cylons."
	I frowned as I looked at the scanner, realizing that he was right.
Although I was used to seeing squads of the alien ships, those from Whitby
had been attacked by only one ship.  "Maybe it was a patrol ship?"
	If shrugs were audible, then Giles' came loud and clear over the comline.
I decided to ignore him and pay attention to the situation at hand.  Very
slowly, the _Achilles_ was pulling away, at a pace that made me want to
chew my nails in utter frustration - a habit that I'd never really done
before.  Instead, my hand tensed on the Viper's joystick, and if possible,
I would have willed the ship to safety.  Hades, if it were possible to get
out and push, I would have been there.
	An agonizing ten centons later, the ship finally cleared the battle zone.
I quickly began issuing orders, telling Barthel, Jolly and Giles to
maintain a wall between us and the alien ships.  Starbuck and I moved our
ships above the _Achilles_, where we began to attach tow lines.
	"_Hey, Apollo,_" Starb each other, especially Cain and Sheba.  It was as though
they were both unconsciously updating the mental image that each held
about the other.
	They both looked mostly the same as they had yahrens before, except
that Cain's hair had lost all its color, going simply to white. 
Sheba's hair length was different, and the shade was a little darker. 
Both of their faces were perhaps a little more lined, showing the
experiences they'd both gone through in the last few yahrens.  If
anything, though, Starbuck noted that Sheba, who had never really
resembled her father, seemed to have more of his characteristics now,
if only by way of her posture and command attitude.
	Ila did most of the questioning when they finally reached the
commander's office.  With each one, Sheba explained everything that
had happened since the Cylons had originally attacked the
_Galactica_'s fleet.  Her description was detailed and complete,
leaving no questions in the minds of those hearing the story for the
first time.
	Wuck called after the last line was attached and we
were just about to fire our thrusters.  Near our lines, we could see the
snapped cables that were either Cylon or Cymorth floating out from the
hull.  "_Where are we taking her?_"
	"Away from here, and hopefully somewhere where we can meet the _Pegasus_
shortly," I answered, all the while offering up a silent petition, hoping
that we wouldn't overstress our Vipers by pulling the ship.  "Are you ready?"
	"_As ready as I'll ever be,_" he replied, his usual line to my question.
"_Apollo, are you going to be okay...  I mean, with Sheba being on board?_"
	"Yes," I blurted, knowing it wasn't the truth.  But that was the only
thought I could allow myself in the meantime.  "On the count of three.
One, two, and three!"
	With the bigger ship's weaker thrusters adding to our own, we soon had
enough momentum that we were soon out of the star system.  I held my
breath, looking at the scanner and trying to find a suitable location.
	"_Looks good here,_" Starhen she finished, Cain sat back in his chair, regarding his daughter
with a somber look.  "And that's all?"
	"After we found ourselves separated from the fleet and under attack a
while later, that's about it, until Apollo's patrol came across us,"
she replied.
	He nodded, looking across at Ila.  The siress' face was in a slight
frown as she ran over what she had just heard from Sheba.  Feeling
Cain regarding her, she lifted her head to meet his gaze.  "We're
going to have to call a war quorum."
	"I know, but it'll have to wait until we're reunited with our fleet. 
The _Star Kobol_'s keeping her eye on them while we take care of the
_Achilles_," he replied with a sigh.  "But optimistically, we should
rejoin them in no more than a day."
	"So we can start to look for the _Galactica_ and her fleet."  Ila's
voice held a note of optimism that was echoed inside Starbuck's heart,
and she glanced over at him, just in time to catch his smile.
	Cain, though, was a little hesitant.  Starbuck remembered hobuck said.
	I nodded slightly, cutting my turbos.  "Okay, we can stop here.  Tell the
_Achilles_ to stop, too.  While you're communicating with them, I'll leave
a marker beacon for the _Pegasus_ to pick up.  And then, well, we're going
aboard."
	My stomach felt like it fell down a few metrons, giving me a slightly
giddy feeling.  Felgercarb!  I had to get control of myself if I was going
to do any work aboard the ship.  With a deep breath, I hit the beacon that
would give our location to our baseship, sent a brief message to the rest
of our wing, then waited for Starbuck to respond.
	"_Okay, they're expecting us.  At least their landing bays are open and
clear._"  He paused slightly, and I could picture the concerned expression
on his face.  "_Are you ready for this?  I mean, _really_ ready?_"
	I gave a weak laugh.  "We have a choice?"
	"_Not really.  Okay, buddy, I'll follow you in._"
	A few centons later, we were aboard the _Achilles_, and the micron I
popped open my canopy, my nose was assaw much
the blonde commander had chaffed, being subordinate to Adama, who had
once been his peer, after two yahrens of being on his own.  The two
men had gone to the Academy together, Starbuck knew, and the only
reason Adama held the upper hand was because he had received his
commission before his friend.
	Like a child realizing that his way wasn't the acceptable one, Cain
had done everything in his power to deter Adama from his decision.  He
had tried to use his aura of the Juggernaut to faze him; pushed his
opinion at the white-haired commander; and he'd even gone so far as to
sabotage the proceedings so everything would play out in his favor. 
Were the fifteen yahrens with the responsibility of his own fleet
enough to prevent another round of similar circumstances from occurring?
	As though sensing his thoughts, Cain looked directly at Starbuck,
then down at the front of his desk.  Would he truly look for the
fleet, Starbuck had to wonder?  He now had every reason not to
sincerely go in searulted with the scent of lingering
smoke.  Remembering what I had heard over the emergency comline earlier, I
glanced over at Starbuck's Viper in alarm, then slid down to the deck.
	My friend was already nearly surrounded by a small group of techs; many of
the orange jumpsuits were smeared with soot along with grease.  They were
pelting Starbuck with questions, but they almost immediately quieted down
when I approached them.  All except for one.
	"When is the _Galactica_ coming?" the tech was asking, obviously not
noticing the _Pegasus_ patches on our jackets.  "We need all the help we
can get!"
	"We're not from the _Galactica_, and the _Pegasus_ is on her way here to
assist."  He looked up at me when I was finally in front of him, and I
noticed that his face was pale.  Not quite as pale, though, as the other
men who were staring at me in shock.  Even the one who had been speaking
had a double-take when I arrived.  "There's an evacuation going on to get
everyone to the upper decks, so they can fch of the other fleet.  While Starbuck still had
his daughter there, and Ila's husband and grandson, Cain now had his
missing family members back with him.
	Hoping that didn't mean what he thought it might, Starbuck met the
Commander's gaze evenly, waiting for him to speak.  When he did, it
sounded vaguely cautious, but there was indeed something in his tone
that made Starbuck want to believe him.
	"As soon as we're able," he said slowly, "we'll start looking for the
_Galactica_.  And we'll find her, if it's the last thing I do."


Part 19 - Beautiful lofty things

	While the _Galactica_ was as familiar as the decks of the _Achilles_, the
_Pegasus_ was completely different.  Josce just couldn't place his finger
on what made this battlestar unique from the other; they were basically
identical, after all.  Even so, he just didn't feel as comfortable on this
ship as he had with the others.
	Not for the first time, he sighed as he studied the passing bulkheads as
he followed Starbuck through thight the fire without any
interruptions.  They're trying to get to the boraton control center, but
it's effectively cut off at the moment."
	I nodded, trying not feel self-conscious with all the stares being
directed at me.  "And now what?"
	"Well, if you want, you can go help with the evacuation."  Starbuck
glanced at the lift.  "I suppose I can go up to the bridge and assist there?"
	"That sounds good."  I was tempted to ask him what Sheba's reaction had
been to his voice, just for a hint on how she'd take the news of my
presence, but decided against it.  By the looks on the other men's faces,
they were running out of time.  "Starbuck, just in case, where...?"
	With a slight smile, he gave me the location for Sheba and Josce's
quarters, and I committed it to memory with a fervor that I didn't realize
I possessed.  There was a tug on my arm, though, and I faced the tech who
had been speaking to Starbuck.
	"There's only one problem," he said, and his words gave me a sickening
feeling in my stomach.  I'd only had it a few times, usually during
circumstances when Boxey was in danger.  "That area of the ship, Captain,
is the next one the fire will reach."
	I clenched my fists, then looked back at Starbuck.  "Okay, you go up to
the bridge, and I'll go help."
	"Gotcha," he replied, then gave me a tap on the arm.  "Good luck, buddy."
	I looked back at the tech.  "Can you show me where they need the help,
especially with the evacuation?"
	"By all means," was the gruff reply, as he led me to the nearest lift.  We
were silent as it slowly took us down to the lower decks, until he turned
to look at me carefully from head to toe.  "You're Josce's father, aren't
you?"
	I nodded slightly at his words.  "Yes.  My name's Apollo."
	"Osiris," he returned.  A genuine smile came onto his lips, lighting up
the dark smears on his face.  "He's a good lad, Apollo.  A bit too curious
for his own good, but a good lad."
	I thanked him, and finally we were there.  The smoke was thicker in this
area of the se hallways.  It was time for dinner, and he
knew without being told that they were going to join Apollo for their meal.
	And he wasn't exactly too thrilled about the idea.
	He knew he should have been shamed at the thought of not wanting to spend
time with his own father, but Josce still didn't feel too comfortable with
him yet.  They got along all right when they were together, but it was only
when either Athena, Cassie, Starbuck or Sheba were there with them.  Even
so, he couldn't help the way he felt.
	All during his childhood, Josce had the reputation of being able to adjust
to changes rather well.  It only took a day or two, at the most a secton,
to get a sense for the ways things were now.  He had adjusted well when he
and his family moved to the _Achilles_.  When Sheba was sealed to Bojay, it
was the same story.  A little more difficult when Boxey joined the Academy
and Starbuck was marooned, but he was back to normal after a while.  This,
though, was different.
	After resting for the behip, and there were many more people.  A few persons,
recognizable as civilian officers, were directing the flow of traffic.
Over the noise, Osiris gave me the specific directions to Sheba's quarters,
then wished me good luck.
	I hurried along the corridor, praying that I would make it to that area
before the fire did.  I could tell that the fire wasn't that far from this
deck, since the amount of smoke coming out of the vents was steadily
growing thicker.  The temperature was also beginning to slowly rise, and I
could feel sweat beginning to break out on my face.
	As I went, I looked around desperately at the steady stream of people that
were being shepherded through the corridors.  Dozens of children were
passing by, it seemed, and I searched for Josce's face among the multitude.
 None matched the smiling visage from Athena's picture, and that only made
the worried feeling worse in my gut.
	My movement in the opposite direction that the crowd was moving caught the
attention of one of the offitter part of a day, he had been released from the
_Pegasus_' Life Center, and he was told by his mother that he was to stay
in Starbuck and Cassie's quarters.  At the time, both Starbuck and Apollo
were busy with the squadrons, watching for any approaching alien ships.
Sheba was occupied with the _Achilles_ overseeing the ongoing repairs.
Most of the time during the day, he spent the time with his aunt Athena,
and little Eilan.
	The first time he spent time with them, his mother was there, too.  Josce
was helping with Eilan, who to his amazement had turned from a dark little
baby into an energetic toddler, while the adults were in conversation.  He
looked up sharply when he heard them start to giggle.
	"And then I saw him with his goatee," his mother was laughing, while
Athena was sitting on the edge of her seat with a large smile on her face.
"Athena, I've never had the urge to laugh so hard in my entire life!"
	"You should have seen it when he was growing it," his aunt replied,
sounding like cers trying to direct the traffic.  She grabbed
my arm, forcing me to face her as she shouted, "Hey!  Where do you think
you're going, Captain?  And when in Hades did the _Galactica_ finally get
here?  We've been waiting for centars for you to arrive!"
	Calmly, I explained to her that I wasn't from that battlestar, but from
the _Pegasus_.  "I'm here to help!  How many people are still in their
quarters?"
	"Not that many!" she replied.  "I think only a few more!  We have our fire
crews getting them out now as we speak!"
	"What about the captain's quarters?" I asked, already knowing the answer.
"Has anyone checked that yet?"
	"If they haven't, then they will shortly!" she shot back.  It was all the
confirmation I needed, and I pulled out of her grip to continue hurrying to
Sheba's quarters.  With a shocking sense of deja vu, I realized that these
were the same corridors as the ones in my dream, and I wasn't surprised
when I recognized the last stretch.
	The exodus of the ship's occupants had trishe was trying not to giggle.  "I mean, I've seen him try
nearly everything, ever since we were kids, but this...  This has to be the
funniest."
	"Oh, speaking of which," Sheba added, barely keeping her laughter under
control as she spoke.  "I was wondering if you'd mind if I took your little
brother out for an evening.  I'll be sure to bring him back before curfew."
	The two women burst into laughter, and Josce was sure that his mother was
shaking with laughter.  She had to wipe tears from her eyes before she
could calm down satisfactorily.  He wasn't too sure what was so funny, but
at least it made them laugh.
	With the other occasions when Josce was visiting his aunt and cousin, he
was alone.  He'd spend the time talking with Athena, just the way they used
to in old times.  She was one of the few adults who would listen to Josce,
instead of talking down to him.  Still, there was something that made him
not want to talk to her about his feelings about his father.  He was more
interested in what she had to say.
	Soon after arriving on the battlestar, Josce met both of his grandparents.
 Cain had only been around a few times, but enough so Josce could get a
feel for the commander.  He was nice, and seemed genuinely interested in
his new-found grandson.  Josce was completely comfortable with him.
	Soon after meeting Cain, he encountered Ila.  The first time he saw the
silver-haired woman, he'd stared at her, not sure what he should do.
Unlike the stories he'd often heard about Cain, and Apollo, too, he didn't
know very much about Ila.  She was his grandmother, and they'd believed she
was killed at Caprica when their home planet was destroyed.
	As he had stared at his grandmother, she had saved him from deciding what
to do.  Ila had regarded him with a warm smile, then given him a hug.  He
wasn't sure how, but everything about her put him at ease.  He could see
how his grandpa had fallen in love with her; he was doing the same.  Every
time he saw her, he welcomed her embrace and attentickled down from this area, and
there were mostly members of the _Achilles_' fire crew around me.  A few
paused as they worked, surprised to see my sudden appearance.
	"Captain?" one of them asked, pushing forward so he was blocking my way.
I was tempted to forcibly push him away, just to get by.  The doorway to
Sheba's quarters was only a few metrons away.  "What are you doing?"
	"You haven't checked all the rooms yet."  It was a statement, not a question.
	"We're finishing up now!" he replied, still in my way.
	"I'm going to help!" I told him, using the best command tone I could
muster under the current circumstances.
	"Like Hades, sir!" he shot back.  "You're not protected, and you can get
yourself hurt!  And that'll be my responsibility!  And the fire's ready to
flare anyway, and several bulkheads are probably going to rupture when it
does!"
	I didn't really care, because I _knew_ that even if I were safe, it didn't
matter.  Josce was in there.  I was so certain of it, I could have put a
bet down if the circumstances were more appropriate.
	"I'll be fine!" I told him, looking directly into his eyes.  I don't know
if he recognized any of my features, but he seemed to relent a little.  "Do
you have a spare life mask?"
	He handed one to me, looking extremely doubtful.  I could almost hear the
thoughts running through his head, about how stupid warriors could be.
Maybe he was right, but I didn't have the time to argue.
	Moving past him, I finally touched the door panel, and remembering my
dream, I stepped back.  Instead of the flames that I expected, I was
greeted instead by a billowing column of smoke that poured into the
corridor.  I took a deep breath, then went inside.
	The interior was lit by emergency lights, and even though there was a lot
of smoke, the fire hadn't touched the front room.  Hoping that the other
rooms were in the same condition, I squinted through the smoke as I started
to shout.
	"Josce!"  I opened the door to the first room, seeing that it was a
sleeping chaon.
	It just wasn't that easy with Apollo.  No matter how hard he tried, he
just didn't feel right.  Half of the time, he was convinced that he was
seeing a ghost; the other half, he stared at the very familiar stranger
usually sitting across from him.
	One thing that made him uneasy was the fact that he knew he looked a lot
like his father.  Even though Apollo was older, and his features more
mature, there was no mistaking what their relationship was.  Every so
often, Josce would find himself wondering how much of himself was original,
and whether or not he was just a copy, or a replacement, of his father.
	Sheba, he knew, would have scoffed at his thoughts, and Josce was positive
that everyone else would have done the same.  It was just so strange to see
someone who he had so many things in common with; all during his life, he'd
been different from the others.  He was the only one he knew among his
peers who didn't know his father, and the only one who had family members
in high places.  He hmber.  The bed was unmade, but the room was empty.  "Josce, say
something!  Josce, I know you're here!"
	The air was ominously thick with both silence and smoke; I had the
impression that my voice wasn't carrying very far.  By this time, the smoke
was beginning to affect me, and I was coughing as it irritated my throat
and lungs.  The heat was also building the more I moved, and I was worried
about how long it would last before it would be intolerable.
	In the second room, I nearly tripped over something on the floor.  I
stumbled, then turned to see what it was.  The lights were dimmer in this
room, but I could make out what looked like a flatpic that must have been
knocked down.  Getting down on one knee, I picked it up to take a look at
it, and I almost wish I hadn't.  What greeted me was a picture of Bojay,
with his arm around Sheba's shoulders.  They looked so happy together than
I almost wanted to throw the picture across the room; it wasn't just the
smoke that was making my eyes tear as I ad no one who shared both his bloodlines, and his only
sibling wasn't even his blood relative.
	But there was more, he knew.  He had particular tastes and interests that
seemed to be different from even those in his family.  That wasn't saying
that he loved the same things that others enjoyed.  He used to love
snuggling next to Adama, Starbuck or Boxey, listening to their stories when
he was younger.  He loved Triad just as much as Boxey did.  It was his love
of languages, though, and with it a voracious appetite for reading, that
seemed to set him apart.
	There was also the matter of food.  No matter how hard he tried, and no
matter how often he was encouraged, he couldn't eat seleks.  He wouldn't
eat them, either.  The very sight of the bright red root vegetables
repulsed him, and he shuddered to remember their taste in his mouth.
	Sheba loved them, and so did everyone else in the family.  Starbuck didn't
mind them, and he usually took Josce's seleks when no one was watching.
That was probablleft that room.
	From the area I hadn't yet searched, I heard a weak coughing, and I
hurried toward the room at the end of the corridor.  There, sprawled on the
deck, was Josce.  The boy's eyes were closed, and I immediately went to his
side.  Tentatively, I reached out to touch him, praying that he was all right.
	The first glimpse I had of my son's face nearly took my breath away.
After hearing Starbuck telling me how much Josce was like me, and then
seeing Athena's picture, I thought I was ready to see him.  Definitely,
that wasn't the case...  My hands were trembling, and I had to consciously
try to make them stop.
	Carefully, I brushed the hair from his forehead, and at my touch, Josce
slowly opened his eyes to look up into my face.  The expression on his face
was one of surprise, and I could relate entirely as I gently asked, "Josce,
are you all right?  Are you hurt?"
	He coughed again, then spoke in a voice barely louder than a whisper.
"I... I hit my head when I fell."
	Quickly puttingy one of the things he missed the most after Starbuck had
been marooned, he mused, smiling to himself as he and the lieutenant sat
down at Apollo's table in the mess hall.  Whenever Starbuck had been over
when seleks were served, all the vile vegetables on Josce's plate would
disappear
	"Hey, buddy!" Starbuck greeted, smiling widely as he slid into the seat
directly across from Apollo.  Josce was facing an empty seat, but he didn't
mind as he watched the two friends interact.  "How goes it?"
	"Not bad, Starbuck," he responded, returning the smile before looking at
Josce.  The boy noticed that his expression brightened, becoming visibly
happier.  "Hi, Josce.  How was your day?"
	"Not bad," he said quietly, looking away.  He missed the concerned look
the adults exchanged, and the briefly anguished look that crossed Apollo's
face.  Starbuck shrugged, deciding to distract them both.
	"So, Apollo, what's your schedule for tomorrow?" he wondered, a secret
smile playing on his lips.  Both father and s the life mask over his face, I frowned as my fingertips
encountered the bump on his head.  He winced slightly in pain, and I
mumbled an apology as I moved my hand from his head to his shoulder.
"Okay, Josce, we're going to get out of here, but you need to help me here.
 Do you think you'll be able to walk?"
	"I can try," he groaned, and I put my arm underneath his shoulders to help
him sit up.  When he was upright, his eyes went a little wider as he met my
concerned gaze.  To my amazement, he laughed.  "You know, Boxey's right..."
	A small smile made its way onto my lips at the mention of my elder son's
name, but by Josce's sluggish movements, I knew that he wasn't in very good
shape.  Carefully, I lifted him up, adjusting his weight so it wouldn't be
too difficult to carry him,
	"What's Boxey right about?" I finally asked when I knew my grip was
secure, and we headed back into the hallway.
	"You _are_ watching over me."  The boy's voice held a dreamy quality, a
note of wonder that I didn't quon noticed it, but only Apollo
bothered to reply.
	"Busy, mostly.  Patrol in the morning, along with the rest of the wing."
The pointed expression that his father gave Starbuck made Josce smile,
knowing that Starbuck was included in the wing.  Sometimes his uncle just
had to ask a stupid question.  "A meeting or two, and maybe a few other
things.  Why?"
	"How about a game of Triad?  Or a practice?" he said, quickly adding the
second option when he saw Apollo open his mouth to object.  Starbuck knew
that now was not the time to object, and he inclined his head ever so
slightly toward Josce, making sure that Apollo caught the motion.  "What do
you say?"
	Looking as though he were taken aback, Apollo slowly nodded.  "Uh, sure.
Triad sounds fine.  When?"
	"Seventeen hundred?  Just before dinner?" he suggested, knowing that Josce
was listening to every word being mentioned.  The boy was probably storing
every detail into his memory for future recall.
	"It's good for me," Apollo told him, enthusiasite understand.
	"I try," I finally said after a few microns of uncertainty about how to
respond to a question like that.
	And then it happened.  One micron I was standing with Josce in my arms,
about to take a step forward.  The next, we were both back on the deck,
with my body lying over Josce's.  I heard him cry out in surprise, and I
certainly did, too.  But both of our voices were drowned out by a roaring
from the room we'd just left, and the feeling of intense heat directly
behind us.
	Taking my weight off Josce, I turned to look back, and I stared in horror
at the flames that had somehow broken through the bulkheads, and were
steadily making their way toward us, consuming everything in their path.
	Not bothering to see if my son was all right this time, I grabbed him and
ran for the front room.  I had my eyes set on the door, ready for it to
open at our approach... but at the very last centon, I narrowly avoided
colliding with the closed panel as the door remained shut.
	Josce moved in m coming into his voice.
"Maybe now we can finally practice for that third game that's coming up
between us and Barthel and Hagan."
	"Yup!"  Seeing that Apollo was distracted, Starbuck reached slightly to
Josce's plate, spearing a selek with his fork while giving the boy a
conspiratorial wink.  The red vegetable disappeared into his mouth before
Apollo could notice.  "I say it's time to take the glory of the _Galactica_
back, no?"
	This time, Josce felt like he had to jump into the conversation.  "What do
you mean, the glory of the _Galactica_?  Where did it go?"
	A smile came onto Apollo's lips at the question.  When he spoke, Josce
noticed that his father's voice had similar intonations to Athena's, and
they pronounced some words the same way.  Not only that, but both Apollo
and Athena were left-handed, which was probably the only thing that Josce
didn't have in common with Apollo.  Noting the difference, Josce wondered
what else they shared and didn't share.
	"Well, it's a kind of traditionmy arms, trying to see why we'd suddenly stopped.  He
frowned as he spoke.  "What's wrong with the door?"
	"I don't know," I replied, setting him down against the nearest wall so he
wouldn't fall, as I turned to the door again.  No, it was definitely
jammed.  Felgercarb!  I wanted to lash out and kick the door, but my energy
had to spent elsewhere.  The control box for the door was right next to it,
and when I opened it, I couldn't see if anything was wrong.  I sighed
heavily, and almost wished I hadn't when I coughed at the lungful of smoke
I inhaled.  "I think it's jammed.  The explosion that knocked us down must
have jarred the doorway."
	The expression on Josce's face was full of fear as he looked at the
approaching fire, then back at me.  His green eyes were even wider than
before.  "Now what?"
	I pounded on the doorway with my fist, hoping that someone would hear us.
The fire crews had just been outside a few centons ago, for Sagan's sake!
After a few microns, I heard a few taps in reply, that our squadron's been running with,"
Apollo explained.  "When Starbuck came aboard, there were now two of us
from the _Galactica_, enough to make a Triad team, so we challenged them
for the battlestar's honor.  Before the Colonies were destroyed, there used
to be competitions between the different battlestars while they were in dry
dock, and they'd play for the honor of their individual ship.  They'd do it
in Triad, or with Pyramid," a glare at Starbuck was inserted in at that
section, to which the lieutenant faked an innocent expression, "or anything
else that would work."
	"So Colonel Hagan has our honor?" Josce asked, looking first at Starbuck,
then at his father.  When they both nodded, his eyes went wide.  They had
_lost_ a game?  Boxey would have died, he knew, to learn that.  "Well, how
are you guys expecting to win it back?"
	"That's why we need to practice," Starbuck said with a wry grin.  "We're
not sure just yet."
	"But we'll think of something, don't worry."
	"I hope so," Josce and their pattern vaguely
meant something to me.  I leaned against the door, trying to figure it out,
when I heard Josce's voice.
	"They're telling us that all the doors are jammed," he said slowly, his
face serious in concentration as he listened to the code.  "Something about
boraton, and they're working on it.  We're to wait by the doorway."
	"That's right," I told him, the codes telling me the exact same thing.  I
gave him a quizzical look, seeing a big smile cross his features.  "How did
you know that?"
	"Boxey taught me all the codes when he was learning them at the Academy,"
he said proudly.  I couldn't resist it, and reached out to ruffle his hair,
making sure that my hand missed his bruise.  He smiled shyly in reply
	The centons passed quickly, thank Kobol, but the fire was coming closer
even faster.  Within five centons, it had reached the main room, and very
quickly, everything was catching fire.  At first, I tried to fight it off
by beating anything that started to burn, but for ev said, eyeing them both carefully.  He took a forkful of
his food, chewing idly as he thought about the adults' situation, knowing
they were in trouble.  Well, they were adults, and getting older.  Their
minds weren't as sharp as they used to be.  He mentally shrugged at the
explanation, wondering at what they might be able to do.
	His mind replayed all the Triad games he'd recently seen, and the few he'd
played.  They needed something new, preferably that neither one knew, and
there were a few new developments that were made after Starbuck had been
marooned.  If they could use something like that, maybe then they'd get an
advantage.
	A Triad game from the other night suddenly flashed before him.  While he
and Sheba were watching, one of the players had leaped up, made an
incredible twist that had thrown the ball directly across the court so it
would land precisely in his partner's hands.  Sheba had sat up suddenly
from her seat, amazed as Josce at the feat, then she had slowly shaken her
head,ery one object I saved,
another three would go up.
	Finally, I had to retreat back to the doorway, where Josce was already
sitting, huddled down to get out of the smoke that was thick like the fog
that used to blanket Caprica City in the spring.  I sat down next to him,
closing my eyes as I sent another prayer up.  Hades, by this time, I was
ready to pull any one of Starbuck's old stunts, if only to buy us more time.
	Looking down at Josce, I saw him staring blankly off across the room; the
same room where I'd danced only a centar or two before in my dream.  He
looked a little lost, and I tentatively put my arm about his shoulders, not
sure how he'd take the physical contact.  It was a relief when he didn't
flinch away, not that there was really anyplace he could go.
	There was silence between us for quite a few centons, then Josce stirred
slightly, resting his head against my shoulder.  Looking down at him, I
suddenly realized something.  If the only reason I had been brought back
from the dea saying that it was exactly the same kind of feat that Apollo and
Starbuck might have done.
	Were they still up to it, though?  He eyed them both critically, knowing
for it to work, the thrower, who would more than likely be Apollo, would be
sending it onto the opposite side of the court.  But that was expected,
since Apollo was left-handed, that's where he would throw it.  If he
twisted in midair, then the ball would go where the opposite team _wasn't_
expecting it.
	Sitting straight up in his seat, Josce's eyes went wide as the answer came
to him.  Seeing the alarm in both Apollo and Starbuck's eyes, he waved them
off as he quickly finished chewing, trying to clear his mouth before he
could speak.
	"I have it!" he exclaimed.
	Apollo seemed to be genuinely curious, and Josce found that it was his
interest that made him more eager to share his brain wave.  With a grin, he
told them his idea, demonstrating with his hands, and even some of the
rations on his plate to show exactly where the positd was to be there to rescue my son from death, then I had no
other option than to give my life freely.  I felt strangely at peace as I
moved my body to shield his smaller body with mine; I was determined that
the fire would have to consume my body before it reached his.  If the few
centons it took for that to occur was enough for the _Achilles_ to unjar
the door to get Josce out, then I was more than willing to do it.
	I glanced back at the approaching flames, seeing them reaching out for me
like those that had been in my dream.  Only a few more microns of life.
Closing my eyes, I quickly thanked the Lords for giving me this one
opportunity to see my son, and very possibly, to show him how much I loved
him.
	My back was growing intolerably hot, and I braced myself, knowing that any
micron now, the pain would begin.  Just as I thought that my jacket would
catch fire, I felt something else.  At first it was a light and cold spray
coming from above, and when I looked up, I realized that the boratonions were.  He was so
involved that he didn't stop to even breathe, let alone check to see what
their reactions were.
	When he finally looked, he saw that Starbuck was nodding in agreement,
while Apollo's head was slightly cocked to the side as he pictured what his
son had just told him.  Full of enthusiasm, Josce waited to hear what their
reactions were going to be.
	"As long as you're the one throwing it, buddy, I'll go along," Starbuck
said, with a grin.  "What do you say?"
	"Might work," Apollo agreed, frowning slightly as he looked at Josce.
"Twist in midair, that I can do.  But if I'm turning to throw it in the
wrong side of the court, that might be a little tricky."
	"Ah, you can do it," his friend assured him.
	"I don't know..."  Despite everything, Apollo still wasn't sure, and he
sat back in his seat, thinking.  "We'll have to practice it a few times
before I'll really get the hang of it."
	"You can do it," Josce said simply, looking at his father very seriously.
"Just put your mind was
finally working.
	The fire began to fizzle out, making loud noises of protest as it started
to die.  The boraton was beginning to coat everything with its slippery
white self, and both Josce and I were soon soaked with it.  The room was
beginning to look very surreal, with a haze of smoke and chemical steam
obscuring everything.  If anything, that was making it even harder for me
to breath, but at least Josce had his life mask.
	And we were still stuck. I didn't have the energy to go knock some more,
so I just stayed still.  Josce shifted beside me, then complained in an
soft voice, "I'm going to miss the Triad game tonight."
	I glanced over at the ruined vid screen, then smiled slightly.  "Triad game?"
	"Yup," he nodded slightly.  "The fleet championships are just beginning.
Eighteen teams in all."
	I did my best to whistle in amazement, but my throat was too dry to let
the air come through effectively.  "That's a lot of teams."
	"Yeah, but there aren't that many good players."  He seeme to it, that's all."
	Apollo smiled at him, nodding.  "Maybe you're right."
	"Of course I am," he replied.
	"The kid's right, buddy," Starbuck added with a grin.  "Now, quit arguing
and eat your seleks.  Puts hair on your chest, or makes you smarter, or
something like that."
	"Like I need more," Apollo muttered, and to Josce's amazement, he pushed
the vegetables to the corner of his plate.  Unlike the other parts of his
meal, Apollo hadn't eaten any of them.  Seeing Josce's scrutiny, Apollo
motioned toward them.  "You want them?"
	Josce literally recoiled at the thought.  "Ugh, no!"
	"Join the club," his father said with a laugh.  He regarded his friend
with a smile.  "Hey, Starbuck, in the mood for seconds?  Or should that be
thirds?"
	With a grin, Starbuck shook his head.  "Lords, now _I'm_ going to be sick
of them after you two give me your portions.  I'll be a walking selek man."
	Josce giggled at the idea, while Apollo shook his head in amusement.  As
he laughed, Josce noticed the satisfd extremely
disappointed with that fact.  "Boxey and I bet that we could pick which
teams would win, and that we could probably beat them easily."
	Both of my boys played Triad.  The news made me grin, and I listened
enthusiastically as he spoke about the sport.  My throat by this time was
getting to be too irritated to speak much, and I only could murmur a few
comments here and there.  That didn't stop him from telling me everything
there was to know about Triad in the last few yahrens, and of the games he
played with Boxey and his friends
	The knocks on the door resumed after five or ten centons - I lost track of
the time by then.  Josce was closer to that wall than I was, and I
instructed him on what to reply.  They were just about ready to break
through the door, and we were to move way from it.  Slowly, we moved back,
then just plunked down in the middle of the room to wait.
	Not more than ten centons later, we were being hurried out of the burnt
room into the hallway.  Josce was placed onied expression on Starbuck's face, and
he realized that for the first time, he'd really been able to be
comfortable around his father.
	The only problem was that it didn't seem to want to last.  The next time
he saw Apollo, Josce was with Ila and Athena for breakfast.  The same
discomfort was there, and he let it be.  It was like every time, Josce
needed to be drawn out, and he knew that Apollo knew it.  Why it had to be,
he didn't know.
	There were times, though, when Josce knew that this distance was affecting
his father.  And not just Apollo.  It bothered Sheba, Athena, Cassiopia,
but most of all, it bothered Starbuck.  Being the enthusiastic person he
normally was, Starbuck would do his best to get the two of them in
circumstances that would be conducive to them talking.  The dinner the
night before was a perfect example, and during the Triad practice the next
day, he pushed it even further.
	He meant well, Josce knew, but you couldn't squeeze blood from a rock.
Nor could you force an equi a stretcher and covered with a
blanket, while I gratefully accepted a life mask and breathed fresh oxygen
that soothed the ache in my throat and chest.
	Initially, the crews wanted to take Josce down first to the _Achilles_'
lifebay, while I remained here to wait for a second, but I immediately shot
that idea down.  I didn't want to be separated from Josce again, and I
vehemently informed them of that, all the while leaning against the wall
for support.  I could see them exchanging looks, but thankfully they
decided to humor me.
	"What's your relationship to the captain's son?" asked the man who put his
arm about me to help me walk behind the stretcher.
	"He's my son, too," I mumbled through the life mask, and out of the corner
of my eye, I saw his surprised expression, but I wasn't feeling up to
continuing the conversation.
	I wasn't surprised to see that the lifebay was more or less full, but what
did catch me off guard was seeing Cassiopia bustling around the room.
She'd changed in the lasne to drink once led to water.  So the sayings
went, anyway.  He'd never seen a big rock, nor a live equine.  Boxey was
full of those sayings, though, and more often than not would use them.
	Lords, he missed his big brother!  Boxey would know what to do in this
instance.  He would find an easy way for Josce and Apollo to get along, or
to ease the distance between them.  He was positive of that.
	Though, as he went to watch Starbuck and Apollo's Triad match that
afternoon, he wondered what Boxey would think of the new Apollo.  He'd
caught the hint that something strange had happened to Apollo over the last
eleven yahrens, and it wasn't exactly something easily explainable.  Not
having the benefit of really having something to compare the man he now
knew with, he instead had to rely on observation.
	He imagined that his older brother was sitting next to him in the
spectator's gallery as the two adults went about their practice.  In his
mind's eye, he could picture his brother, tall in his warriort ten yahrens, looking more mature.  Her hair was a
lighter shade of blonde than I remembered it being, and there might have
been a few extra lines around her eyes and mouth that I didn't remember.
But her gentle way of dealing with the patients hadn't changed, nor had her
bright blue eyes when she looked at us once, then a second time in shock.
	"Doctor!" one of the fire crews called, trying to get her attention toward
us.  "These two were caught in the fire, but I don't think they're burned.
They've just got smoke inhalation, and I think the little one hurt himself."
	Looking slightly pale, Cassie went to check on Josce first, frowning
slightly as she touched his forehead.  By now, he was unconscious, and I
watched him worriedly as Cassiopia scanned him.
	"He's got a minor concussion along with the smoke inhalation," she said a
micron later, brushing the hair that was sticking to his forehead with the
boraton.  She quickly turned to a medtech who had appeared next to her,
seemingly from nowher's uniform,
his dark hair parted to the side, and his brown eyes narrowed as he
examined everything before him.  They sat in silence, watching, until Josce
elected to speak.  Well, pretended to speak, anyway.  In his head.
	"What do you think?" he asked Boxey.
	With a frown,  his brother watched the two warriors, and especially
Apollo.  As their father practiced the movement Josce had suggested the
night before, Boxey studied every moment.  The way he moved, the way he
spoke, every mannerism, right down to the possible distinguishing marks on
his body.
	"He's younger," came the first observation.  Josce nodded, looking from
Apollo to Boxey, seeing that there was more space between the physical ages
of Starbuck and Apollo than there was between his father and brother.
	"Besides that?" he pressed.
	"Well, Dad used to have a scar on his arm."  He motioned to his upper left
arm, to an area that on Apollo's arm was covered by pads for the Triad
uniform.  "Either got it in a crash, or in an accidente.  "Get him to the back, they'll clean him up and
then place him in one of the empty lifepods."
	"Will he be all right?" I asked, watching as the stretcher was moved to
the back of the lifebay.  Then I turned my gaze back to Cassie, who was now
staring at me openly with shock.
	"Apollo?" she whispered, taking in my entire appearance, complete with
life mask, goatee, and soaked clothes and hair.  "Is that really you?"
	I nodded slowly.
	"You're alive!"  She didn't really shout the words, but it was still an
exclamation.  I smiled in reply as she threw her arms around my shoulders,
hugging me tightly to her.  I had to leave one hand on the life mask as I
returned the hug with my spare arm.
	"You're the doctor," I said wryly, pulling back from the embrace, but
found that she wasn't quite ready to let go of me yet.  I held her closer,
welcoming the warm feel of her body against mine.  I was getting cold in my
clothes, so the extra warmth was nice.  "If you think I'm alive, then I
must be."
	She .  I'm not sure what,
but sometimes you could see it."
	Josce nodded, wondering.  Had he seen it?  No, he hadn't seen them
changing.  Maybe he'd see it later?  Perhaps.  He waited for Troy to say
something else, wondering what he'd say next.
	"He moves the same way, talks the same way," he continued, nodding
slightly as Starbuck tossed the ball back to Apollo.  He said something
about trying it again, and added a comment that made Apollo roll his eyes
sarcastically as he caught it.  "And Starbuck's perfectly comfortable with
him, which is a good sign."
	"Always judge what Starbuck has to say as a good thing?"  Josce wasn't too
sure what he thought of some of his uncle's opinions.  After all, the man
still liked to think of Josce as a little kid.
	"Starbuck's got a good eye for things," Boxey nodded.  "Especially people.
 He likes you, anyway."
	It was Josce's turn to roll his eyes sarcastically, and if his brother had
been real, he would have tackled him in retaliation for the mock insult.
Inlaughed, and gave me a squeeze before finally pulling back.  Reaching
up, she brushed the hair that was hanging down onto my forehead, and
thankfully, it was only the left side.  She couldn't see the implant just
yet.  "Where in heavens name did you come from?"
	"The _Pegasus_," I told her.
	Her blue eyes widened in understanding as she noticed the patch on my
jacket, then she laughed and shook her head.  "Apollo, you have no idea how
happy I am to see you!  Not as happy as Sheba will be, I mean."  I felt my
cheeks brighten at that, and she laughed again.  "You've been there the
entire time?  During these last eleven yahrens?"
	My smile faded slightly as I realized that it wouldn't be long before I'd
have to explain to them about all my activities during the last few
yahrens.  In the meantime, I ventured with, "More or less, yes."
	Despite the life mask and my short sentences, my throat was still
irritated.  I coughed, and Cassiopia finally realized that I wasn't there
just for a social chat.  stead, he smiled in amusement at the thought of being insulted by his own
subconscious.
	"But even so..."  He wondered if he should continue the issue, seeing that
ever familiar look in his brother's eyes, telling him that he was pressing
an issue that seemed to be already closed, whether Josce knew it or not.
	"Jos."  Boxey looked at him seriously, his brown eyes containing no hint
of the humor that had been there only a few microns previously.  "Give him
a chance."
	He nodded, hearing a cheer coming from the court when Apollo finally got
the move right.  He and Starbuck exchanged high-fives, then he turned to
look up at Josce.  With a grin, he called, "How was that, Josce?  About the
same thing you saw on the IFB?"
	He nodded, and Apollo's grin widened.  With a relieved laugh, he looked
back at Starbuck.  "Well, what do you think?"
	"I think I'm spent for the day," came the reply.  With a sigh, Starbuck
undid the strap to his helmet, letting them hang as he motioned to the
court's exit.  "ShShe looked at me worriedly.  "We'd better check
you out, Apollo.  Come on, follow me."
	"No!"  I pulled back from her grip a little too quickly, and she gave me a
curious look that quickly turned to concern.  Realizing how unusual that
looked, I quickly added, "I mean... there's a few things you need to know
about what's happened to me over the last few yahrens."
	She nodded slowly, then motioned to one of the examining tables.  "You can
explain it to me while I get ready to scan you, hmm?"
	"Okay."  I followed her there, then plunked down on the table.  For some
unexplainable reason, every time I sit on one of those things, I get the
urge to swing my feet back and forth like a little boy.  This time, I
actually did, even if to keep myself warm.
	"You can start any micron now, Apollo," she began as she pulled out a
scanner and turned it on.  She directed it at my torso, then out to my
left, then back over to my right.  She was about to move it down when she
suddenly stopped, then turned to callall we go?"
	"Sounds good to me," Apollo nodded, taking off his own helmet and running
his fingers through his damp hair.  As he pushed his bangs away, Josce
caught sight of something on his father's forehead.  He first wondered if
it was a birthmark or something like that, but then he remembered that in
all the pictures of Apollo he'd seen in his life, there had never been
anything there before.  Not only that, but he'd never seen anything on
anyone's body that was quite that color.
	"We'll meet you in the mess hall for dinner, okay, Josce?" Starbuck called
up to the boy.  Wide-eyed, Josce nodded, his gaze not leaving his father's
head as Apollo left the court.  Starbuck noticed his expression, and his
eyes traveled over to where Josce was staring.  With a quick shake of his
head, he hurried after Apollo.
	Josce remained rooted to his seat, even after the adults left the court.
In his imagination, he could still see the grey object that had glared
underneath the bright lights that hung from th to the nearest medtech.  "There's
something wrong with the scanner!"
	The medtech frowned as she approached Cassie.  "What is it, Doctor?"
	"It's giving off false readings!"  A frown had come onto her face as she
pointed at something on the screen.  "It should say something completely
different than it says!"
	"It's one of our newest scanners," the medtech protested.
	Cassiopia was determined to continue her argument, but I had a feeling
that I knew what the problem was.  "It might not be the scanner, Cassie."
	"It has to be!"  She turned to look at me, then touched my right arm.
"Fifteen yahrens ago, you broke your arm, and I remember healing it.
There's nothing there!  And a few other injuries, too, that I remember, but
they're gone!"
	I groaned inwardly.  "It's not the scanner.  You're seeing what's actually
there."
	She stared at me as though I had grown a second head.  "What do you mean?"
	With a deep sigh, I started to explain everything that had happened to me
from dying after my Vipee ceiling.  What was it, and
what was it doing in his father's temple?
	Shaking his head, he finally left the gallery, heading toward the mess
hall.  His mind ran through everything his youthful imagination could come
up with to guess what the object's identity was, and even then, he failed.
For a few centons, he wondered if it had to do with that strange thing that
had been obliquely referred to by the adults in passing?  Whatever it was
that had happened that made Apollo unable to return home to the _Galactica_
eleven yahrens ago, or something related to that?
	For a few microns, he tried to imagine what it would have been like to
have a full family growing up.  Him, Boxey, Sheba and Apollo.  Together,
living in the quarters they had inhabited before moving to the _Achilles_.
Would they even have moved ships?  What role have Bojay played in his life?
 Would Athena have left them for Whitby?  Could Apollo have prevented
Starbuck from being marooned?  And would Josce have had more brothers or
sr crashed, to awakening as one of Doctor Ravishol's
clones with the implant in my head, to escaping the Shelborn and coming
aboard the _Pegasus_ as a member of Silver Spar squadron.  All the while I
was speaking, I could see the expression on her face go to doubt, and more
or less stay there as I continued.  My heart sank down to my stomach,
because if Cassiopia, a person I considered to have been one of my friends,
didn't believe me when I told her my story, then what were the chances that
Sheba would?
	"And here I am," I finished, feeling about as enthusiastic as a man about
to face a judiciary with whom his fate rested.  I shivered slightly,
feeling cold as I waited for her reaction.
	Somehow, I wasn't surprised when she avoided the topic completely.  "Are
you cold?"
	I nodded, shrugging both my tunic and my jacket.  All of my clothes seemed
to be sticking to my skin, making me feel both cold and uncomfortable.  If
it had been just water that had soaked me, that wouldn't have been so bad.
Bisters had his parents actually remained together?
	The thoughts brought uncomfortable possibilities to his mind, and he
pushed them as a few moments after they appeared.  He had enough to worry
about without thinking about things that would never come about.
	There was only one face in the mess hall that Josce recognized, and he was
tempted to flee the micron he spotted her.  Meve.  The little blonde
monster who was worse than Derdre.  He just didn't seem to have much luck
with girls, whether they were related to him or not.  Derdre loved to
torment him, and Meve seemed intent on doing the same.  He remembered when
he had first been formally introduced to her by his grandfather, and he had
learned that this little kid was his aunt.  His mouth had fallen open, and
he stared at Cain, not comprehending what he was being told.
	Meve caught the reaction, and a smile had appeared on her face.  One hand
reached up to play with a long strand of blonde hair, putting on a coy
exterior for her father, while she looked at Josce with eyes that were
calculating.  He was in trouble, he knew.  He recognized the look from
Derdre, and it was even more frightening seeing it from someone who was
supposed to be related to him.
	Before he could slip away from the room, Meve spotted him, and with a
wave, invited him to come sit with her.  Quietly, knowing that he had
little choice in the matter, he made his way over to her table, seeing that
she was reading some texts off her little computer, along with two books
that were in front of her.
	"Hi, Jos!" she greeted him with a large smile.  She waited for a response,
and he knew she was setting a trap for him.  She wanted to be called by one
thing, and one thing only, and he wasn't going to give her the satisfaction.
	"Meve," he replied, sitting across from her.  There, he'd proven that he
didn't have to obey what his pint-sized aunt wanted.  He remembered what he
used to yell at Boxey when he was younger, and he was fighting with his
older brother over sometoraton, though, was not only wet, but sticky.  The chemicals, too,
couldn't have been good for my skin.  I wouldn't be surprised if I
developed a rash somewhere because of it.
	"I thought so," she said.  "I'll see if I can find a clean and dry tunic
for you."
	"Thanks, I'd appreciate that."  I tried to smile at her, but I could still
see that same expression on her face, even if she were trying to mask it
with concern.  Before she could leave, I reached out to hold her hand.
"Cassie, everything I told you is true.  It's really me."
	She nodded in reply, but I could tell that she was anything but convinced.
 "Apollo, I..."
	"You can ask Starbuck when he comes here," I added, hoping that the
addition of her husband's name would add to my legitimacy.  After all, he'd
convinced Jolly, Giles, Brie and Athena of my identity; Starbuck was such a
smooth talker that he could probably convince both Cassiopia and Sheba
without any problems.
	But instead of looking convinced, a sad look appeared on her fahing.  When Boxey had tried to tell him what to do,
Josce had yelled back, "You're not the boss of me!"  Well, he certainly had
more right than Meve did, but he still didn't appreciate it.
	She smiled at him, sweetly and patiently.  "Aunt Meve, Josce.  I'm your
Aunt Meve."
	He groaned inwardly.  It wasn't fair.  "But I'm two yahrens older than you."
	"But genetics are genetics," she replied, leaning back in her chair.  "So
I'm your aunt."
	"Whatever."  He was determined not to lose this debate, if it could even
be called that.  He remembered reading some multilingual texts, and how one
of the more obscure languages in the Colonies had a dialect where
formicidons were known as "ants."  He'd never seen a live formicidon, only
in texts and vids, but Boxey used to tell of how the little insects would
run all over the pavement in Caprica City, and how he'd used to step on the
poor little creatures.  Too bad he couldn't do that to his "ant."
	With a slight out breath, Meve shook her head in exasperatce.
"Apollo, Starbuck's been missing for more than a yahren.  We had to leave
him behind when..."  I smiled at her uncertain expression, and she shook
her head in disbelief.  "I know that look.  He's on the _Pegasus_, isn't he?"
	My hand still grasping hers, I squeezed it reassuringly.  "My patrol
rescued him, Cass.  He's alive and well, and here on the _Achilles_.  He's
a member of my wing, actually, and at this centon, he's probably talking to
Sheba."
	"You're joking!"  She stared at me, and by the expression on her face and
the tentative joy in her eyes, I knew she didn't dare allow herself the
luxury of hope.
	"He is, trust me."  I grinned, then saw her eyes tear.  "He'll be just as
excited to see you, I'm sure."
	She blinked a few times, trying to get rid of the tears as she resumed her
role as a doctor.  Tentatively, she fingered my wet sleeve.  "I think you
can use the restrooms.  There's a turbowash there so you can get the
boraton off your skin.  I'll have a medtech bring in your cleaion, then went
back to her work.  Josce watched for a few microns, feeling idle, then
finally ventured to speak.
	"What are you reading?"
	"I'm studying some Scorpian," she told him, not glancing up.  "My Mommy's
from Scorpia, so she said that I should learn some of the language."
	Josce almost immediately leaned forward in interest.  "Scorpian?  Neat!
What's it like?  How much do you know?  Can I see some?"
	"Only if you can say, 'Prosze, ciocia,'" she grinned.
	He spluttered out an attempt to say the two words, and she laughed at him
as he did.  Josce felt his cheeks growing red, since he just absolutely
hated being put on the spot by people.
	"No, no," she chided, and proceeded to repeat the phrase.  She carefully
enunciated everything so he could try to repeat them.  "Prosze, ciocia,
Josce.  You can do it."
	On the third try, he finally got it right, and Meve grinned at him.  With
a shake of his head, Josce looked at her.  "Well?"
	"Well, what?" she asked, pushing over one of the Scorpiann tunic."
	I smiled at her, then shivered again.  The lifebay was just a little too
chilly for me.  "Show me where. You won't have to force me in there!"
	"That way," she pointed, and I followed the direction until I found the
washroom.  In short order, once the door was shut behind me, I quickly shed
my soiled uniform to get into the welcomed warmth of the turbowash.  The
stickiness soon vanished as the hot water rinsed it away.  Giving myself a
thorough wash, I heard someone slip in the room for a few microns, but I
was too busy basking underneath the warmth to bother checking.
	After another five centons, I finally got out.  Quickly drying off, I
wrapped the towel around my waist as I inspected the new clothes I 'd been
give: a loose fitting pair of pants with a green tunic.  Not exactly
uniform, but it would do.  Before I slipped into them, though, I inspected
my body for any rashes I might have developed from the boraton.
Thankfully, I didn't see anything, so I quickly slipped into my new
 texts.
	"So what does it mean?  Prosze and ciocia?"  He waited for an answer, and
by the grin that continued on her face, he began to wonder if repeating
something he didn't know the meaning of was such a good idea.  "So?"
	"It means, 'Please, auntie.'  So there you go!"  She laughed at the
indignant look that came onto his face.  "But you got the book, so don't
complain."
	"I _am_ complaining," he muttered, picking up the text to look at it.
"Oinseach."
	It was her turn to look at him.  "What?"
	He gave her an innocent look, knowing very well what he'd said.  Or
thought he'd said.  He had heard Ludlow mutter it every once in a while,
and he'd once asked what it meant.  "It means idiot," the big man had
replied, looking down at the boy, "and I don't want to hear you repeating
it!  Your mother would kill me if she thought I was teaching you these words."
	And so he never did tell her what "oinseach" meant, and he was determined
that he never would.  When Apollo and Starbuck finally arrived, thclothes, then used the discarded towel to wipe my holster clean before
strapping it on.
	A glance in the mirror told me that I needed to do something about my
hair, since the implant was clearly visible with my bangs pushed back.
Quickly using my fingers, I combed them forward again, then ran my hand
over my goatee once or twice before I decided that I looked presentable.
	Cassiopia was at the other side of the lifebay when I exited, and she
glanced up at me as I joined her.  With a quiet smile, she led me over to
the lifepod where Josce was resting, and thankfully someone had thought to
remove his wet clothes and to sponge the boraton off his skin.  He looked
like a dark little angel, lying peacefully.
	"Just like his father," Cassiopia murmured, looking down at him fondly,
then glanced up at me.  There was something about her gaze that was
different now, as though she'd had time to digest my information, and she
believed that it was the truth.  "Always getting into trouble."
	I smiled wryly. e topic
wasn't brought up.  Instead, Josce found himself watching and observing the
relationship between Meve and Apollo.  It reminded him of the relationship
that he had with Starbuck, and to a certain extent with Bojay, too.
Friendly, warm, supportive, and comfortable.
	He watched quietly as Meve showed Apollo the work she had completed, and
the nod of congratulations he gave her.  Josce saw the smile that lit her
face at Apollo's words, and despite himself, he found himself feeling a
little envious.  Or maybe not so little.  He wanted that same attention.
After all, Apollo was _his_ father, not Meve's.  If she wanted something,
she could go to Cain and get whatever she needed.
	An unsettled feeling came over Josce as he watched them, and when Starbuck
spoke to him, he responded automatically.  Josce's discomfort grew, and he
finally had to excuse himself so he could return to Starbuck's quarters.
He hurried through the corridors, still seeing the surprise on both Apollo
and Starbuck's faces  "I wish that's something that's improved with age, but...
well, some habits are hard to break."
	"The same story with Starbuck, I'm almost positive," she agreed, and I
chuckled.  Her next words, though, didn't elicit that same response.
"Well, I sent a message up to bridge via a courier, since most of the
telecoms are still dead.  The chief medical officer here on the _Achilles_
wants to know some information, so I added the information that Josce's all
right and that," she glanced at me from toe to head, "there's a little
surprise here for her, too."
	A message, about me and Josce.  That, if anything, would be enough to
incite her to come down here to check on our son, and then she'd see me.  I
had a moment of blind panic, feeling so anxious that I seriously considered
bolting from the area.
	"Cassiopia," I began, in an uncertain voice, "tell me the truth.  Am I
going to be a welcome factor in the formula?  I mean, I know that she's
sealed to Bojay.  Starbuck's told me all about it, and Athenas he left.
	Alone in the front room, since Cassiopia was working in the Life Center,
and Starbuck was still in the mess hall, Josce paced back and forth.  He
felt like his world was reeling out of control, and he wasn't sure about
what exactly he was supposed to do.  What the frak was he supposed to do
about Apollo?
	With a sigh, he spotted the telecom, and for a few microns, he wished that
they were back in the fleet with the _Galactica_ instead of the _Pegasus_.
It would be just so easy for him to call Boxey, and he would shuttle over
at the first opportunity.  Or, he would have found a way for the three of
them to get to know each other again, and everything would have been fine.
	Josce shook his head, finding the urge to speak out loud as he moved.
"But Boxey's not here, and he won't be until we find the _Galactica_.  So
I've got to do something in the meantime, but what?"
	Inspiration struck, and a grin appeared on his face.  What had he done on
the _Achilles_ when Starbuck was gone, and a said that
they're still together..."
	A small smile quirked the side of her mouth.  "I'm not surprised that
you've picked up the Whitby colony, too, but their information is a little
out-of-date."
	"How's that?" I asked, frowning at the enigmatic meaning behind her smile.
	"They're being severed," she said.  "The papers were filed recently, and
they're just about approved, once the legist gets the forms from Bojay's
side."
	If it had been anatomically possible, my jaw would have dropped down to
hit the floor.  Even so, my mouth fell open widely in surprise.  "You're
kidding!"
	Her smile widened as she shook her head.  "No, I'm not."
	"Oh, my Lords."  I felt faint, and felt Cassiopia laugh slightly as she
reached out to grasp my arm.  Something slid against the back of my legs,
then there was a firm pressure on my shoulder as she got me to sit down.
	"In the meantime," she said, "you'd better rest.  You want to be in good
shape when she comes down here, don't you?"
	I nodded numbly, still tboth Boxey and Bojay had been
away on the _Galactica_?  Who had been the nearest male figure for him to
speak to?  That was easy.  Ludlow, who always seemed to have a spare centon
or more to speak to the boy when necessary, despite have two young children
of his own.
	Feeling a little better, he activated the telecom, and sent a signal over
to the _Achilles_.  He had no idea what kind of schedule the ship's crew
was on while they accessed the damage from the attack, since Sheba's
centars were odd and unusual, but he prayed that he would catch Ludlow at a
good moment.
	For once, he had some good luck.  The first officer's face came onto the
screen, and the moment he recognized the caller, his features broke out in
a large smile.
	"_Hey, there, Josce!  How are things over on the _Pegasus_?_" he asked.
Despite his cheer, Josce could see the fatigue in his eyes, and on his
face.  Maybe the present wasn't so good, anyway, Josce thought.
	"Not bad," he replied.  "Did I get you at a bad moment?"
	"_rying to get the news to make sense in my mind.
Severed... the opposite of sealing.  The end of any marital vows...  They
weren't husband and wife.  Then what was the picture of them, albeit from
happier days, doing on the floor of the second bedroom?  Had the picture
been placed on a shelf or in a cabinet that had been knocked down because
of what had occurred to the _Achilles_?  It must have been.
	Sweet Kobol!  Sheba was single!
	I looked up to see Cassiopia's grin, and I returned a weaker version of
it.  She reached to squeeze my shoulder in support, and I managed to
stammer out, "Thanks, Cassie.  I appreciate that."
	"You're welcome."  Her smile told me that something told her that things
were the way I'd claimed them to be.  Finally, someone up there liked me,
it seemed.  "Knowing Sheba, she'll get down here as soon as possible, so
you'd might as well stay put for the time being."
	"I won't move," I promised, looking down at Josce's sleeping face.
	With another squeeze of the shoulder, shNo worse than others.  Why?_"  Ludlow peered at the monitor, his
curiosity on his face as he looked at the boy.  "_Is there something wrong?
 I can get your mother for you.  She's only a few cabins over, y'know.  I
can fetch her in just a micron's notice._"
	He shook his head.  "No, I don't want to talk to my mom.  I want to talk
to you."
	"_Oh?  Well, I suppose I've got a few centons to spare._"  The big man
settled back into his chair, and he motioned for Josce to continue.
"_What's on your mind, lad?_"
	He chewed on his lip for a few microns, then quickly blurted it out.
"It's my father."
	"_Ah.  I met him the other day for a few microns in the _Achilles_'
landing bay.  He was in a rush to do something, but we were at least
formally introduced.  From what I can tell, he's a very nice man.  Your
mother's certainly very fond of him.  What about him?_"
	"Yeah, he's nice," Josce sighed.  "It's just that...  Ludlow, you're the
only person I've been able to tell this to.  Not that I've tried to te left, leaving  me to sit back as
I watched my son.  It wouldn't be long before Sheba arrived, and I tried to
prepare myself mentally for that imminent moment.  Even so, it wasn't working.
	I was much too nervous!


Part 17 - I have waited long...

	It was just unreal, Sheba kept on thinking.  There was no possible way for
this to be happening; it was the stuff of dreams and fantasies.  Ghosts
didn't just call on the comline, planning to appear on the bridge in broad
daylight.  Ghosts didn't even exist.  It was all a fantastic nightmare, and
she would wake up in her quarters, finding that everything was its mundane,
boring self.
	But, that wasn't the case.  Reality was a damaged ship that had narrowly
escaped being destroyed by either a Cylon or alien laser bolt.  Reality was
the worry for her son's safety during the entire crisis, not knowing if he
were all right.  Reality was a call from the seemingly dead Lieutenant
Starbuck, with instructions on behalf of his superior officer on the
paell
someone before, like my mom, or Starbuck, or anyone."
	"_All right.  What is it, then, about your father?_"
	"All these yahrens, I've heard the stories about him, about what a
wonderful person he was.  What kind of warrior and hero he was to everyone.
 My brother would always say this and that about him, and always compared
Bojay to him.  It's like they built this big image of him for me, and now
that I get to meet him, that's not him."  Josce shook his head, not sure if
he was making any sense.  "I mean, it's just weird to have him around.  And
I'm the only one with this problem.  Starbuck, Cassie and Mom, they're just
going back to the way life was before he left, and it's like they're
forgetting me in the meantime."
	Ludlow nodded for a few moments, listening carefully to what Josce was
saying.  There was a thoughtful expression on his face as he waited for the
boy to finish.  When his words were complete, he looked up at the monitor.
"_You're feeling left out, then?_"
	"Left out, presstrol.  Reality was the knowledge that the _Pegasus_ was on her way to
assist.  Reality was unreal.
	Sheba shook her head for the umpteenth time, trying to tell herself that
everything around her was concrete, and she wasn't hallucinating or
dreaming.  The knowledge didn't seem to want to sink in, though.  She knew
that Ludlow was looking at her strangely every few microns, checking to see
if she were all right.  Each time, she waved off his concern with a half
smile.
	Starbuck was alive.  The news brought a sense of relief to Sheba's
troubled mind.  If Starbuck was alive after all this time, then he'd
undoubtedly bring some of his famous luck with him, which was something
they could definitely use at the moment.  Maybe, she mused, that luck could
be used to make sure that Josce was all right...?
	"Felgercarb," she muttered, trying to bring her thoughts back to the
current situation.  She had to focus her attention on the _Achilles_, and
her eight hundred passengers.  Josce was only one of them,ured, confused..."  Josce shook his head.  "I know
Starbuck wants me to get along with my father.  He's always dragging me to
places where I'll be with him, and they're sometimes fun.  Other times, I
don't want to be there.  And I have no idea what I'm supposed to call him,
either.  By his name?  Dad?  Father?  I was always comfortable calling the
image 'Dad,' but now that the real thing is here, I don't know."
	"_I can understand that.  Josce, I know this is very difficult time for
you, and you're having trouble adjusting.  It probably would be easier if
we weren't in the middle of this mess, with the _Achilles_ being in the
condition she is.  But life throws us into this things for a reason,
whatever it might be._"  He reached up to finger a few strands of his
bangs, then gave a sigh.  "_Would it do any good if I spoke to him for you?
 Maybe let him know what's going on with you, and then we can see what's
what?  I can also have a word with your mother, too.  She's busy with the
ship, I know,  and she couldn't
focus solely on him.  That much she had learned from watching Adama in action.
	Impatiently, Sheba glanced at the chronometer.  Ten centons at least had
passed since Starbuck's last communication to the bridge.  He'd told her
that he was headed up to the bridge, and that the rest of the squadron
would be gradually landing aboard the _Achilles_ to help out.  His
wingmate, she understood, had gone ahead to help the crews fight the fires.
	A nudge from Ludlow made her divert her attention to the tall officer,
then over to the entrance where a painfully familiar blonde figure had
appeared.  With a smile, she approached him, feeling happy despite the
recent events that had almost destroyed her ship and the danger that still
existed.
	"Captain, Lieutenant Starbuck reporting as ordered," he said solemnly.
Still his sometimes cheeky self, Starbuck stood before her and gravely
saluted her.  He then broke out into a grin as he regarded her.  "Kobol,
Sheba, it's good to see you!"
	She dso she can't really be around you as much as she'd normally
be._"
	Josce blinked at the offer, suddenly seeing a light appearing at the end
of his dark tunnel of confusion.  If Apollo and Sheba were told what was
going on, maybe things wouldn't be so bad.  And who better than an adult
who could get things across a little better than he?
	"Maybe," he nodded.  "I mean, it's weird.  I'll be uncomfortable with him,
then something will happen that will make it a little better, but then the
next time I see him, it's back to the way it was before.  I just don't know
what to make of it, Ludlow.  It's just... weird."
	"_I would be surprised if it weren't,_" Ludlow replied, with a smile.
"_You're doing a grand job so far, Josce.  Just hang on, and you'll see
that things will get better.  You'll look back and wonder what all the fuss
was about._"
	The boy sighed, shaking his head slightly.  "I hope so."
	"_It will, don't worry.  Oh, by the way, keep this in mind.  It's not
everyone who gets a second chanidn't immediately answer, choosing instead to throw her arms around
his shoulders to hug him.  Despite what she was seeing and hearing, there
was the logical part of her brain that told her that Starbuck wasn't real.
That was quickly put to rest when she felt the solid body in her grasp.  He
was made of flesh and blood, not dreams and memories.  She squeezed him
tightly, feeling his grip returning the pressure gently.
	"It's good to see you, too!  I should have known you'd turn up somewhere!"
she told him, finally stepping back so she could look at him.  Amazingly,
he hadn't changed that much in the last yahren or so; he still looked like
the man she'd last seen a secton or two before he had been marooned.  His
hair was a little lighter in places, and his skin was slightly darker than
she remembered, as though he had been deeply tanned several sectars ago.
"You seem to have that luck that never seems to run out.  Thanks for
sharing with us, Starbuck.  We thought that we were finished when those
ce to get a loved one back.  I lost my
entire family in the Destruction of Aquaria, and believe me when I tell you
that I would give just about anything to be in your place.  To have a
second chance to see them again._"
	"I suppose," he murmured in reply.  Hearing Ludlow's words, he imagined
how Boxey was going to react when he learned that Apollo was alive.
Knowing his brother's reactions, he was positive that he would be ecstatic
at getting both his father and his brother back at once.
	"_Now, I'll sign off now, but I'll be sure to talk to your father.  Behave
in the meantime, and be a good lad,_" Ludlow smiled.  "_You'll be fine,
Josce.  If you need someone to talk to again, give me a call._"
	"Thanks, Ludlow."  Josce grinned at the man's image as it disappeared
off-screen, and he sat back in his seat again.  Maybe things would get a
little better, and they'd get better soon.  He hoped.
	He didn't get to see Apollo again until the next day, when his father
caught up to him and Starbuck as thships showed up."
	"Trust me, Sheba, it was my pleasure," he replied, then glanced over to
where Ludlow was still standing at his station.  "Hey, Ludlow!  How are you
doing?"
	The first officer smiled at the pilot, and Sheba had the brief memory of
dinners spent with both men trying to tell stories that would surpass the
other's.  Josce, Derdre, Boxey, and Ludlow's children had loved to listen
as they became more and more outrageous.  "Grand, Starbuck.  So you've been
having a vacation on the _Pegasus_ while the rest of us have been busting
our astrums, avoiding the Cylons?  How was it?"
	"If it was a vacation, I'd insist on getting my cubits back."  Starbuck
glanced at the star field that was empty of everything but the stars, just
the way Sheba tended to prefer it now that there was no fleet surrounding
them.  "No, we've had our own version of fun, especially lately.  While we
haven't had the Cylons as much as you guys, we've been playing with the
Shelborn and the Cymorth.  They're the two otey were headed for the mess hall.  Josce
found that all thoughts of lunch were disappearing as he saw his father's
approach.  He'd been told by Starbuck that one of the pilots in Hagan's
wing had fallen ill, and Apollo had been selected to fill the hole.
	To his surprise, he noticed that Apollo was excited.  No, excitement
didn't quite cover the way his father seemed to bounce as he hurried to
meet them, and the almost urgent look of enthusiasm in his eyes.  He was
also out of breath when he finally arrived.
	Starbuck gave him a once-over, raising an eyebrow in amusement at his
friend's appearance.  He gave Josce a grin, then declared in a loud voice,
"Apollo, you look like you're going to have a heart attack."
	Enthusiastic, but flustered.  Josce couldn't help smiling at the look his
father gave Starbuck as he held up his hand, telling him to wait a few
microns until he caught his breath.  When he finally could breath without
taking gulps of air, Starbuck continued to lead him on with questionsher ships who paid you a visit
today, along with the Cylons."
	"Nasty bastards," Ludlow muttered, shaking his head.  "They deserve each
other.  The Cylons fired on us first, just to make sure we weren't a
threat, and then they started to tow us to Kobol knows where.  Then these
other two kinds of ships arrive, and the darker ones --"
	"The Cymorth," Starbuck supplied.
	"And the Cymorth," he continued, nodding his thanks to Starbuck, "started
firing on the Cylons, but then when we tried to move, they fired on _us_!
It's their lasers that started most of the fires down below."
	Starbuck nodded gravely.  "That sounds about right, I'm afraid.  They seem
to follow each other like fleoges hovering on a corpse."
	"Apt analogy if I ever heard one," Ludlow agreed, then looked down at his
station.  "Excuse me for a centon..."
	"Who are they, Starbuck?" Sheba wanted to know, motioning him away from
Ludlow as they made their way back to her command chair.  "And these
Shelborn?  They just sat on the side, .
	"So, what's happening?  Did you just run here from the landing bay?"
	"No," he replied, shaking his head.  "I just came from Cain's quarters.
You'll never guess what's going on!  It's incredible!  I still don't
believe it myself."
	"Considering it's a recent development, I have no idea," the blonde
lieutenant said, a wry note in his voice.  "But you're all excited, so it's
got to be something good, right?  Otherwise, you're getting me excited
about nothing."
	"Oh, believe me that it's not nothing!  It's better than good," Apollo
told him, then glanced down at Josce for a moment.  The boy's eyes were
wide, waiting to hear what the pronouncement was.  "The Heimdall are back!"
	The name meant nothing to Josce, but he watched as Starbuck's mouth fell
open, and he stared at Apollo as though the Captain had started to grown a
second head.  "You're joking!  I thought they were gone for good!"
	"No, they're back," Apollo assured him with a grin.
	"Then why?  I thought they were protecting themselveas though they were watching the
battle like a spectator at a Triad game.  They didn't make a move to help
us or the others."
	"That's a long story," the lieutenant replied, grimacing slightly.
"However, it's probably the shorter of the many stories you'll be hearing
today, but here goes.  The Shelborn were once the Cylons' would-be
stepchildren, until they revolted.  Then there was a war, which the
Shelborn lost four or five yahrens ago.  The remaining groups have just
been bothering us and the Cylons, until the Cymorth showed up on the scene.
 We have no idea who they are, really, other than that they're pretty nasty
when they want to be.  The Cymorth and the Shelborn are also recent allies.
 And that's about the gist of it, though we know more about the Shelborn as
a group.  We haven't even seen a real Cymorth yet, only some very shadowy
figures."
	"They sound very mysterious," Sheba commented, distracted for a few
microns as she was handed a few reports to glance through.  "Mysterious and
s from the Cymorth?
When did they show up again?"  Starbuck shook his head, not comprehending
recent developments.  Josce could relate as he waited to hear more.
	"There's only one ship, but Hagan picked up the signal.  They're headed
our way, so we should intercept them in a centar or two," Apollo answered,
shaking his head.  "It was Enaj we heard, too, but from listening to him, I
couldn't tell if something's gone wrong."
	Looking from one adult's face to the other, Josce wasn't exactly sure what
they were talking about.  Not one who liked being left out of a
conversation, even if he weren't directly involved, he decided to interrupt.
	"Who are the Heimdall?" he finally asked, watching as both Apollo and
Starbuck fell silent.  They seemed to have been eyeing each other carefully
for a few microns.  "Well?"
	"They're a race of aliens," his father explained, an amused tone in his
voice.  "They're our allies, or were our allies, anyway.  They were very
important in getting us information about ddangerous."
	"That's one way of putting it.  We don't even know what the Cymorth are
doing in this area of space.  Our old allies told us that they just
appeared from nowhere."  Starbuck shrugged.  "In fact, all _I_ know for a
fact is that they're merciless when they get going.  They destroyed a
Shelborn ship early in their alliance, and they helped the Cylons wipe out
the colony at Whitby a few sectars back, too.  Of course, I don't know if
they actually meant to do that, but...  Sheba?"
	Her face had paled during his words, and she sank down into her chair when
she reached it.  "They destroyed Whitby?"
	"Um..."  He seemed to search for the right words, and didn't appear to
find them.  "Well, the Cylons attacked them, and the Cymorth showed up.
They attacked both the Raiders and the Vipers.  And, then they...  Oh,
felgercarb, I'm making this sound worse than it is...  We arrived at Whitby
three sectons after it occurred, after picking up the distress signal."	
	"Were they all dead?" she whispeifferent routes, and even
supplies when we needed them.  They had to withdraw a few sectars ago from
their regular trade routes because they were being threatened by the Cymorth?"
	"One of the aliens that attacked us?" Josce asked, his eyes wide.
	Apollo nodded.  "Unfortunately, yes."
	"And they're attacking everyone?" he asked.
	"Almost everyone, it seems."
	"Even the Cylons?"  When Apollo nodded again, Josce fell into shocked
silence.  He'd been raised, as were most children in the _Galactica_'s
fleet, to regard the Cylons as an almost all-powerful foe.  One did not go
on the offensive with them, since their sheer numbers made it virtually
impossible to win.  There were exceptions, of course, but they were far
outweighed by what wasn't.  "Wow, then if they can fight the Cylons, then
they're really trouble."
	"That's one way of putting it."  Apollo looked up at Starbuck, about to
say something, when a thought occurred to him.  Josce frowned, wondering
what it was as a smile came onto his fathred, looking at him fearfully.  "I had a
funny feeling that something was going to happen on that planet.  I should
have talked Athena into staying with Boomer aboard the _Galactica_...  Now
she's...  I mean, she and Eilan are gone?  Jolly, Giles and Brie, too?"
	His grin was much too inappropriate for the topic matter, and she wanted
to rub it off his face.  There was nothing funny about death, and she
wanted him to understand that.  But his next words banished those thoughts
from her mind.
	"Sheba, they're alive and well.  They were all among the survivors when we
arrived, and they're on the _Pegasus_ right now.  Jolly and Giles are
actually going to be landing here soon, once they make sure the Cymorth and
Shelborn don't come after us."
	"They are?"  She sighed in relief, then glanced at her displays.  Most
were off-line, Starbuck noticed, and those that were still showing
something weren't that very uplifting, showing mostly results that were in
the red zone.  "Well, I can tell you that at er's face.  "Hey, Josce, would you
like to meet them?"
	At the suggestion, Josce's eyes grew larger than ever before.  He'd never
met any other species besides humans, though he'd heard a lot about other
races of beings besides humans and Cylons, especially those who used to
frequent the Colonies in the earlier part of the Cylon Wars.  He'd also
seen a few pictures, and those only fueled his interest in meeting these
Heimdall.
	Seeing his son's reaction, Apollo smiled at him, then glanced over at
Starbuck.  "Then we'd better get some food into you two before they arrive.
 I have the feeling that they'll be here sooner than later."
	Apollo's prediction was accurate.  Before the centar was out, word arrived
via Sheelah that the Heimdall were making their final approach.  The four
made their way down to the landing bay, and Josce found himself staying
more by Apollo as Starbuck went with Sheelah to talk to some of the other
pilots from Silver Spar Squadron.
	"Are they here yet?" a soft voice saidthe moment, we can use all the
help we can get.  Most of our spare crews are off fighting the fires, and
while neither the solium or the energizers appear to be in any' immediate
danger, it's the civilians who are in danger."
	"No word of Josce?" he asked, his voice echoing the concern that Sheba felt.
	"Nothing."  She shivered, not daring to release the dark thoughts that
were threatening to overwhelm her.  If Adama or her father were in her
place at this moment, she wondered, how would they deal with it?  Cain
usually waited until circumstances permitted his leaving the bridge, then
he would head down to see her if she were injured.  Sheba never really had
the chance to see if or how his emotions conflicted with his sense of duty
and dedication to his command.  Only once, that she could think of, had
Cain visibly made a decision that had been emotionally wrenching for him.
Well, there might have been others, but the decision to send the wounded
warriors -- including Sheba -- to the _Galactica_ from behind Josce, and he jumped as
he realized that it was Meve.  She looked as excited as Josce felt as she
stood there, looking at him intently.  He looked down at her in
exasperation for a few microns, then shook his head.
	"I think they're landing," he whispered back, looking over to the entrance
of the bay.  No sooner were the words out of his mouth, did a
strange-looking vessel appear.  Josce took a step forward, watching as it
carefully landed on the deck several dozen metrons away from their current
location, but he felt Apollo's hand on his shoulder, telling him not to
move any closer until the ship was secure.  Glancing over at his father, he
noticed that Meve had moved to stand on his other side.  Feeling
possessive, he moved closer to Apollo.
	Once the ship was settled on the deck, Apollo urged them forward, toward
the other humans.  Josce didn't see his grandfather anywhere, so he just
assumed that Colonel Hagan would escort the Heimdall up to his office.
Silently, he waited to s before attacking the
three baseships, was the only one that she was aware of.
	Adama, on the other hand, had been constantly at war with himself.  That
she knew because she had always seen it in action.  Whether it had been
with Apollo or Athena, he always tried to put Adama the father behind the
protective and rational figure of Commander Adama.  Even if it tore his
heart to shreds, he still put the fleet before his children.  Life or
death, he never failed to do that; and Sheba tried to live by his example.
	Starbuck's hand was a slight comfort on her shoulder as he looked down at
her, and there was an oddly reassuring expression on his face.  "I think
there's someone here who's doing his best to make sure that Josce's going
to be all right.  Trust me on that."
	She gave him a level look, trying to understand what he meant.  Only one
name was coming to mind, and it wasn't exactly the person she had in mind.
The last thing she wanted to be was in Bojay's debt.  "Starbuck, I --"
	"Captain!"  Nee what would emerge from the ship's hatch, that
was ever so slowly opening.
	The stories and pictures that Josce had seen did nothing to prepare him
for the sight that the Heimdall presented as they began to file out of the
ship.  In some ways, they reminded him of humans, but in more ways, they
were different.  Strange clothes and hairstyles, and their round heads on
their shoulders that looked too delicate to be real.  Josce watched them
gather, wide-eyed, and he briefly wondered if there was too much to take in.
	Hagan moved forward, greeting a Heimdall who appeared to be just about
Josce's height.  He bowed slightly to the alien, and the gesture was
returned with a nod.
	"Welcome back to the _Pegasus_, Reprie," Hagan began, in formal terms.
"We weren't expecting to see you and your people again anytime too soon."
	As far as Josce could tell, the alien's face was grave, and there seemed
to be a dark atmosphere around the seven aliens.  Uneasy glances were being
exchanged among the gathered icci hurried to Sheba's position, brushing past Starbuck as
she handed Sheba a handful of reports.  "The latest reports on the fire,
and the various repairs.  Doctor Wilker is asking for your permission to
reroute a few systems."
	"Excuse me for a micron," Sheba said to her guest, then frowned at the
papers.  "Which report is that?"
	"Second paper in the pile," the second officer replied, waiting for the
captain's orders.
	"Tell him that I said to be careful," she told her after a few microns,
not looking up from the paper.  "If anything goes wrong, we could lose
every system on the ship, including life support.  No unnecessary
tinkering, and I mean it!"
	"Yes, ma'am."
	Looking at Nicci's retreating back, Starbuck gave Sheba a sympathetic
smile.  "You've got Wilker on board?  I'm sorry to hear that."
	"He came along with a special delivery from the _Galactica_ to help repair
the _Achilles_."  She sighed and stretched her arms, then laughed as she
gave Starbuck a sidelong glance.  "Oh, you'll warriors, and even the deckhands and techs
were looking at each other anxiously.  Looking up at his father, Josce saw
that Apollo was looking very worried, and he urged both children forward
toward the two groups.
	"Under better circumstances, happier would I be," the Reprie replied in a
solemn voice.  Despite the seriousness of the alien's speech, Josce
listened to their sentence structure in fascination.  "Necessary to speak
to Commander Cain."
	"Of course," Hagan nodded, exchanging alarmed looks with the other
warriors.  He motioned toward the nearest lift, and the assembled humans
and Heimdall began moving forward.
	Seeing the aliens moving toward him, Josce moved closer to his father.  He
missed the surprised expression on Apollo's face, and he was barely aware
of his father's arm going around his shoulders.  He was glad for that,
especially when one of the Heimdall moved away from the group to approach
Apollo.
	"Seeing you awake is good, Apollo," he said, and Josce craned his neck to
lobe happy to hear this!
Cassie's aboard, too!"
	"She is?"  The meaning of her words didn't seem to sink in for a few
microns, then he seemed to have a double-take.  A grin came onto his face
as a torrent of questions began.  "You mean that she's here?  Here, here?
On the _Achilles_?  What's she doing here instead of on the _Galactica_?
How is she?  Is she all right?  What about Derdre?"
	"Derdre's still on the _Galactica_, and Cassie's here for the same reason
as Wilker," she told him, then a wry look came on her face, "and the same
story with Bojay, too.  They were all assigned to come over here, since we
were the ship with the most damage after the last Cylon attack which, I'm
sure, doesn't say much in our current situation."
	"True.  But Bojay lives here," he pointed out, then frowned slightly as he
studied Sheba's negative shake of the head.  "Or not?  Sheba, are you
telling me what I think you're telling me?"
	She gave him a hesitant smile.  "Three guesses, and the first two don't
count."
ok up into the alien's face.  Up close, the differences between the two
races were even more apparently, and Josce felt shy when the Heimdall
glanced down at him, then at Meve, before looking back up at Apollo.
"Looking well, you are, except," his eyes narrowed as he examined Apollo's
face, "the growth on your chin.  That is normal?"
	Josce watched as his father's face grew embarrassed as he reached up to
touch his goatee.  In comparison to humans' faces, the Heimdall appeared
not to have any facial hair, except for their eyebrows.  He found himself
growing fascinated with the aliens, even though he was still feeling shy.
	"Human males grow facial hair when they're adults," Apollo quickly
explained.  "Sometimes we shave it, or we allow it to remain.  I decided to
keep some of mine, so it's quite normal."
	"Ah," the Heimdall replied, not taking his large blue eyes off Apollo's
goatee.  "So is not a decoration."
	"No," he agreed, and from Apollo's other side, Josce heard Meve giggling.
Apollo gla
	"Ah, well."  He nodded solemnly, then smiled.  "I suppose that
congratulations are in order?"
	"Thanks, but that doesn't answer my earlier question.  Who's looking after
Josce?  Is it Bojay?  Did you run into him or something, and he told you he
was headed down there?"  As she waited for a response, she glanced back
down at the reports, seeing that the information provided within was
tentatively optimistic.  She sighed, then flipped to a second one, which
was a report from Bojay.  She stared at it for a few microns, then back up
at Starbuck.  "It can't be Bojay.  He's still in alpha section, and my
quarters are in delta.  Starbuck, who are you talking about?  Who's with
Josce?  Tell me!"
	With a secret smile, the kind that she remembered all too well, Starbuck
was about to speak when the navigator interrupted by calling to the captain
from across the bridge.  "Captain!  Three more Vipers are approaching us!
They're asking for landing instructions, and they want to speak to
Lieutenant Starbucknced down at her, and by his expression, Josce knew he wanted to
change the topic of conversation.  "How about yourself, Enaj?  How are you?"
	"Doing well, myself.  Our people, well..."  He waved his hands about him
in a way Josce thought might mean that he was uncertain about what to say.
"Story is long, Apollo.  Very long.  Explain to Commander Cain will Reprie,
and then will decide next."
	Curiosity overwhelming his insecurity, Josce had to finally ask a
question.  As he spoke, he found Enaj's large eyes focusing on him.  "Is it
the Cymorth?"
	"Yes," he replied simply, then smiled at the boy.  "Before seen you, I
think not?  I am Enaj.  You are?"
	Josce suddenly found himself too shy to talk again, and after a micron or
two, Apollo picked up the conversation for him.   "Enaj, this is my son,
Josce.  He just arrived on the _Pegasus_ not too long ago, after his
mother's ship was attacked by the Cymorth, along with the Cylons."
	"Son?"  Enaj's smile grew as he looked from one to the other.  "St."
	"Put them through," she ordered.
	"_Lieutenant Jolly calling the _Achilles_,_" the portly pilot's voice
said, coming loudly through the comline.  Even though Starbuck had already
told her that he was alive, knowing that Jolly was there and hearing his
voice were two different things.  "_Come in, this is Lieutenant Jolly
calling --_"
	"We hear you, Jolly," Starbuck said, smiling slightly as he glanced over
at Sheba.  "How are our three groups of little friends?  Are they finished
squabbling?"
	A snort came clearly through the speakers.  "_You'd think they'd be,
right?  No, they're still at it.  The _Pegasus_ finally arrived, and Cain
told us to make a headway to the _Achilles_ while the rest of the Silver
Spar launched to take care of the Cylons, Cymorth and Shelborn.  We're to
help you guys with your emergency problems._"
	"We'd appreciate that, Jolly," Sheba told him, suddenly feeling very
relieved at the thought of her father not being too far away.  After the
shocks she'd been through rong
resemblance there is.  I am happy that I see you two together.  Your
mother, all right she is?"
	"She's fine," Josce finally said.
	"Good," the Heimdall nodded, then looked over at Meve, who gave him a
large smile.  "Hello, Meve.  Stories I have for you."
	Her blue eyes widened in excitement.  "Good!  But you can save them for
later.  You should go see my Daddy, though."
	Apollo nodded in agreement as he directed them toward the lift.
"Actually, she's right.  We should go meet with the others in Cain's
quarters.  I have the feeling that it's going to be quite the meeting."
	"That it shall," Enaj sighed, bringing back the tension that had been with
Reprie returned.
	Silence fell over the four as they waited for the lift to arrive, and all
the while, Josce watched his father and Enaj.  Apollo was joining in the
solemn mood, and he was very quietly looking across at the other side of
the lift.  After a few moments, he seemed to sense Josce's gaze, and he
looked down at him.
	"Josce, why doduring the last little while, she was just too
tired to get any more emotional than she already was.
	"_When we land, is there anyone we can report to?_" he wanted to know.
"_Do you still need help with getting that fire under control, or with any
of the repairs?_"
	"Actually, yes.  When you land, look for a man named Osiris.  He'll tell
you what you need to know," Sheba instructed him.  She smiled after a few
microns.  "And Jolly?" 
	"_Yeah?_"
	"It's good to hear your voice again."
	They could both hear his grin over the comline.  "_You, too, Captain.  Oh,
Starbuck, is the Skipper down there with the emergency crews?  I've got a
message for him from Commander Cain._"
	"He's still down there, I think," Starbuck replied, glancing over to meet
Sheba's gaze.  She frowned at him, wondering what the meaning of the look
was as he quickly looked away.
	"_Sounds good.  We're making our final approach now.  Jolly, out._"  The
comline cut out as the monitors showed the Vipers beginning the landing
pron't you and Meve go to Rejuvenation Center and play a few
games?" he suggested, and next to Josce, Meve perked up a little at the
mention of one of her favorite areas.  "I have the feeling that Starbuck
and I will be occupied for the next while.  Or maybe you can go visit your
Aunt Athena?"
	"We'll take care of ourselves," Meve assured him.
	"Sure we will," Josce agreed, then cast a sly look over at Meve.  He
wasn't going to spend more time than necessary around her, if possible.
"Won't we, ciocia?"
	She grinned at him, and he gave a thin smile.  Apollo seemed oblivious to
their petty bickering, and simply nodded in satisfaction.  Seeing his
father's reaction, Josce wondered what exactly was going on, and when
Apollo left with Enaj, he tempted to follow behind them.  That, or pull one
of his old stunts from the Achilles and sneak in.
	"Come on, Josce," Meve said, before he had a chance to figure out a plan.
"I'm going to go beat your pants off in three-dimensional Triad."
	"No, you're not," hecedures.
	Sheba was silent for a few microns, wondering who might have been the
"Skipper" that Jolly referred to.  She hadn't heard him use the name in
more than ten yahrens, when he used it to call Apollo.  It was also a name
he had never used with either Boomer or Bojay.  So why was he using it now?
 And, while she was on the train of thought for mysterious things, who was
in the second Viper that had landed with Starbuck?
	As though sensing her thoughts, Starbuck moved forward until he was
standing directly by her chair.  She glanced up at him, seeing an
expression on his face that looked as though he were uncertain of what he
should say.  With a frown, she straightened in her chair, waiting for him
to speak.
	"Sheba."  He spoke slowly, keeping his voice low.  There was something
unusual about seeing Starbuck like that; only rarely had she seen him like
this during the course of their friendship.  It was only when serious
things had happened, when Starbuck had to put aside his lighter side s retorted, as the lift opened again on their deck.
	"Yes, I am!" she cried, running out and down the corridor.
	"Lords, she's just as bad as Derdre," he sighed, hurrying to catch up with
her.  Despite the challenge she'd just thrown down, he wished he was where
the real excitement had to be, with the adults.  Even so, he had the
feeling that he'd be hearing about the results, whether they were good or bad.


Part 20 - The ceremony of innocence

	Far from the excitement that was going on aboard the Pegasus, Sheba was
dealing with the realities of major damage control.  For a long while, it
looked like the Achilles couldn't be salvaged.  The fires and laser blasts
had rendered most of the bottom half of the ship uninhabitable.  While both
the engines and energizers were all right, the question was now what to do
with the rest of the ship, and with her crew.
	Sheba found that there were no easy answers.  A few dozen people were
immediately transferred over to the Pegasus, and to some of the otheo he
could be taken seriously.  "I've got something important to tell you, and I
know it's going to sound impossible.  It'll sound so crazy you'll think
you'll never be able to believe it, but, well, look at me.  Did you ever
think you'd see me again, in all truth?"
	She shook her head slightly, knowing that she had given up hope before the
secton was even over.  Josce had been another story, but Sheba had long ago
become a realist after Apollo had failed to return from his patrol.  While
she still had faith about Cain returning, she just couldn't do the same
thing for Starbuck.  "No, I'm afraid I didn't.  I mean...  Well, I
shouldn't have, because after all, you've got that famous luck of yours."
	A slight smile appeared on his lips.  "That's true, I guess, but what
about someone who hasn't the luck I have?  Someone who's still important to
you, after all this time?"
	The words made her stare at him, totally unsure what he was talking about.
 "Starbuck, what are you getting at?  Who are we talr ships
that were now completely full.  The rest, numbering around four hundred,
remained on the Achilles.  The ship was stable, she knew, and as long as
they remained on alert, things should be all right.
	Repairs were another matter.  She had gone down into the ruins of the
lower decks, taking Ludlow, Wilker, and a few techs from her father's ship
with her.  The melted bulkheads, scorched and burned, greeted her as she
walked by them.  In some places, they discovered, the deck had actually
melted into the deck below them.
	"What do you think?" she had muttered to the others while they were
examining what had once been a storage room.  Earlier, others had come
aboard to look through the ruins, and had determined that it was one of the
first areas to be burnt.  The carbonated remains of various containers lay
strewn around the deck, and upon entering, Sheba's boot had connected with
one of them.  The impact made it skitter across the deck with dull clangs.
	Everyone assembled with her had shakeking about?"
	He held his breath, studying her face for a few microns.  Just when she
thought she was ready to reach out to shake his shoulders to demand an
answer, he let the air out along with a rush of words.  "It's Apollo.  He's
alive, and he's with us now.  He's looking for Josce as we speak, because,
well, I think he had a feeling that Josce was in danger.  So don't worry,
because he's going to find him and --"
	Sheba looked at him, tilting her head slightly as she frowned.  "I didn't
hear you properly, Starbuck.  _Who_ is aboard the _Achilles_?  You couldn't
have said what I think you said."
	"There's nothing wrong with your hearing."  He sighed, shaking his head
slightly.  She got the impression that he was trying to find the right
words, but was utterly failing.  "Sheba, I've been rehearsing this
innumerable times since we landed, but I just can't find the right thing to
tell you...  Apollo's alive, Sheba, and he's been on the _Pegasus_ for the
last few yahrens.  He's here on the _Achin their heads, not really knowing
what to say.  If there had been a base nearby, they could have docked to
make repairs.  But since they were in the middle of nowhere, there really
wasn't a way to repair it.
	Cain didn't have much of an answer, either, when Sheba reported to him via
the comline a few centars later.  Her father sat there in his chair,
listening carefully to her, but from the look on his face, she knew that
his mind was elsewhere.  She frowned at him as she continued, and finally,
she had to ask what was bothering him.
	"It's the Heimdall.  They're back," he explained, and Sheba nodded with
interest.  She'd heard about them before, mainly from the Pegasus warriors
she'd dealt with since their two ships were reunited, but she hadn't heard
that they had returned.  "We never expected to see them again, you see, but
here they are."
	"Have they brought good news or bad news?" she asked, not sure if she
wanted to know.
	"Bad," he sighed.  "The Heimdall withdrew so they could protect tlles_, trying to find Josce.  I
don't know for sure, but there was a look in his eye that told me that he
believed Josce was in danger."
	Sheba couldn't have been more shaken if someone had pulled a carpet from
underneath her feet.  It felt like everything that she had believed in as
truth was lie.  It was impossible, her mind shouted out its dismissal of
his words; yet a small part of her, the hope that she'd long ago buried in
her heart to put out of the way of her reality, whispered something else
entirely.  The small voice, even though it seemed to be no louder than a
whisper, announced, "I told you so!"
	Even so, the news still caught her off balance. Apollo, the man she had
dreamed of and mourned for the last ten, nearly eleven yahrens, was alive?
How?  She had always held the belief that she would know if a loved one
died.  That was how she knew her mother had died yahrens ago, though she'd
been in the other room sleeping when her death occurred in the middle of
the night.  That was why hemselves
by unifying.  It apparently didn't work.  Bickering began when the
different fleets were together, and then the Cymorth actually started
attacking then.  According to their leader, a third of their fleet is gone,
and the group their ship was assigned to was destroyed.  They're the only
survivors."
	"And the Pegasus was closer to their current position than their home
fleet?" she asked.  "Or their home planet, for that matter?"
	Cain shrugged.  "At the moment, they don't even know if they even have a
home fleet.  They've lost contact with most other groups, and even those
that still exist, confusion is reigning supreme."
	"So what do you have planned, then?"  Knowing her father, Sheba was
positive that he had a plan.  And several more plans to back up the first
plan should it fail.  It was always the way he used to be.  Even in the
rare times he was home during the holidays while Sheba was a child, he
always knew exactly what they would buy her mother when they went out.  If
the item she believed, despite the odds, that her father
and the _Pegasus_ still survived.  But that sense had failed her when it
came to Apollo.  After all, she'd been so certain yahrens ago...
	She opened her mouth, prepared to speak, yet not knowing what to say.  She
was saved by Nicci, who called, "Captain!  The crews report that the
overhead boraton mists are working!  The fires are beginning to be
extinguished, and most of the fires are already out in delta section.  The
crews are making headway into the other areas as we speak."
	Starbuck sighed at the news.  "That's where I sent him, to delta section."
	"To find Josce."  A look of relief came over her features, but any respite
she felt was replaced by a giddy combination of anticipation and
nervousness.  At least, she mused, she could know that Josce was being
looked after, assuming that Apollo had located him in time.  Even so...
"Starbuck, I have the feeling he might have succeeded.  I wonder where they
are now?"
	"The lifebay?" he asked.  "Sathey wanted wasn't there, then Cain had two or three more
possibilities for Bethany.
	To her amazement, everything she remembered about her father was jarred
horrendously when Cain shook his head.  It was like the mythical unruly
temperament that he was known almost for, had somehow been restrained.  For
the first time, Cain seemed to remind her of someone else, and it was a
comparison -- a positive comparison -- that she never, ever, would have
thought to making in her lifetime.
	He reminded her of Adama.  Cain certainly wasn't the diplomat that Adama
was, and Adama lacked her father's flair.   While both were excellent
commanders in their own right, Cain seemed to be developing a streak of
caution that tempered his boldness.  It definitely hadn't been there before
Gamoray, Sheba knew, and it more than likely stemmed from the fact that
Cain was no longer free to charge about the galaxy after the Cylons.  There
was no way he could go about "raising all kinds of felgercarb with those
tinheads," me place as Cassie?"
	"I hope she's there," she murmured, avoiding Starbuck's gaze for several
microns before she looked directly into his eyes.  "The last time I saw
her, she was headed for bed in my quarters.  I'm assuming that she's in the
lifebay.  Felgercarb, I never even thought about her once..."
	With a sympathetic smile, Starbuck reached out to touch her shoulder.  "I
don't expect you to worry about everything.  You had enough on your hands
without thinking about extra things.  Trust me, the combination of Cylons,
Cymorth and the Shelborn are enough to keep even your father singularly
occupied."
	A faint smile appeared on her lips, and she settled back in her seat.
"They give Father a hard time, too, do they?"
	"I've seen him stay awake for centars, trying to figure out the Cymorth
and the Shelborn," he told her.  "At least the Cylons are predictable, in
their own quaint way.  We've also got some insight on the Shelborn, so that
just leaves the Cymorth, and we know practically nothing as Bojay had once said, if the Pegasus' fleet was to survive.
Instead, they had to keep a low profile, lest they not only attract the
attention of the Cylons, but the Shelborn and Cymorth as well.  Caution was
something to be cherished, not to be blatantly thrown to the wind.
	"I don't have anything specifically planned yet," Cain told her.  "We're
planning on having a war quorum tomorrow afternoon.  Why don't you drop
over here on the Pegasus, and then we can shuttle over to the Star Kobol
together?"
	"Sounds good to me," she nodded.  "What time is the meeting scheduled?"
	"Eleven hundred centars," he replied.
	"I'll be sure to be on the Pegasus well before then," she nodded, then
paused as she realized that she hadn't heard from her son since the night
before when she had called him.  Josce had a tendency to forget to call
when he was supposed to, and only did so when he was reminded.  She would
have called him that night, but it was too late by the time she reached her
quarters.  Josce shoulabout them."
	"I see."  Her attention was distracted a few microns later, when a group
of three men appeared at the entrance of the bridge.  Ludlow went over to
them, and was handed a few reports.  Glancing through them, he stopped, as
though reading the words another few times.  Giving the men a brief nod of
acknowledgment and dismissal, the first officer made his way over to Sheba
and her guest.
	"I have a message for you from the lifebay," he began, a smile coming onto
his face.  "In particular, it's from Cassiopia.  Josce's in there, but he's
only suffering from a mild concussion.  He'll be all right.  She also says
that she has something special to show you when you arrive."
	"That's my Cassie," Starbuck grinned.  The expression on his face told
Sheba that he couldn't wait to get down there.  It was a sentiment that
Sheba shared, yet was reluctant to do.  Her giddy feeling was being
replaced by the sickening sensation of intense apprehension.  "Always full
of surprises."
	"Sheba," Ludlow d have been in bed for at least a centar.  "Father,
have you heard from Josce lately?  I missed talking to him today."
	"He seems to be all right, though I think Meve's been on his case lately.
She's really taken to teasing him.  I suppose she can be a bit of a handful
at times," he said with an apologetic smile.
	"And I wasn't at the age of eight," she laughed.  "I used to love
torturing the boys at school."
	"It must run in the family, then.  Oh, Ila did say something about taking
Meve and Josce over to the Star Kobol, to show Josce around the ship."
Cain frowned slightly.  "I think she may have left you a message about it.
They were going to stay overnight, so we can pick them up after the war
quorum tomorrow."
	She glanced through the messages that had accumulated during the course of
the day.  Located near the bottom was Ila's message, briefly stating what
was planned and where they could be contact on the Star Kobol.  Nodding in
satisfaction, she looked back up at her father.  With the focontinued, stepping in close to show that he had a point,
"I think things are coming under control for the moment.  Go down to the
lifebay, check up on Josce to make sure that the lad is all right, then go
see this sweetheart of yours.  Nicci and I can handle things up here, and
if the situation worsens, we'll contact you."
	Sheba gave him a frown, wondering how he knew about Apollo, and what
exactly he knew.  Knowing Troy, he had probably told him about his father
before, and more than likely, Ludlow had heard their conversation.  Pushing
past those thoughts, she realized that she was uncertain about what she
should do as she looked past Ludlow to the bridge.  "Are you sure?"
	"Of course."  He motioned to the exit.  "Go."
	"And who's the captain, again?" she smiled, finally standing up from her
chair.  Stretching slightly, she suddenly stopped to look at her first
officer.  "Ludlow, what about your family?  Are they all right?"
	"I heard from them a centar ago," he told her.  "don't forget thatrmalities
aside, she found herself wanting to ask a question or two.  She wondered if
she would get an honest reply.
	"Father?" she asked cautiously.  "May I ask you something?"
	He shrugged slightly.  "It depends, I suppose."
	"About you and Poinciana..." she continued in a delicate tone, watching
her father's eyes as she spoke.  When they flared with blue ice, she knew
that she'd gone too far.  Even so, her curiosity was getting the better
part of her.  "Are you two still an item?  Why did you two get together,
anyway?"
	Yahrens ago, when Cain had been seeing Cassiopia, she had asked him
questions about the blonde Gemonese woman -- it was only yahrens later on
the Galactica did she learn that the woman had been a socialator.  At the
time, Sheba had been a young cadet, still hurting from her mother's death
when she was in her teen yahrens, and she was angry at what seemed to be an
attempt by her father to fill Bethany's place.  At the time, Cain had
refused to answer her questions, often stat our
quarters are in beta section.  They weren't touched by the fires, and
except for a few bumps, they're fine.  I'll see them shortly, besides."
	"I'm glad," she sighed, then pulled on the hem of her tunic.  She
hesitated again, this time only for a few microns.  "You'll call if
something happens?"
	"Yes."  Ludlow looked down at his reports, then back up at her.  He
quirked an eyebrow at her.  "I can still see you, Captain."
	"I'm leaving," she grumbled, then smiled.  "Thank you, Ludlow."
	"You're welcome," the tall man replied, then went back to his duties as
Starbuck shepherded her to the bridge's exit.  As the two walked, Sheba
found her thoughts drifting in one direction, which didn't help the turmoil
of feelings inside her.
	Beside her, Starbuck looked as though he were about to speak, then seemed
to reconsider.  She glanced at him, wondering what was going through his
mind.  When silence continued, she decided to speak.
	"Tell me, Starbuck.  What are my chances with Apollo?" she wondering that it wasn't her place as
the daughter to ask about his actions as an adult.
	Again, now there was a sign that Cain had changed.  He looked startled at
the question, and he coughed slightly to cover the reaction.  Instead of
pushing the question away, he seemed to side-step it in his own manner, as
though the fact that she was now an adult gave her the new privilege of an
equal discussion.
	"It's a long story, baby," he began, and she was inclined to believe him
there.  What the long story involved, however, had to be a very interesting
story.  "To make it short, though, we haven't been seeing each other for a
few yahrens, not since before we picked up Apollo."
	Something about the set of his jaw told Sheba that there was more to the
story than that, but he wasn't immediately going to say more.  When she
opened her mouth to continue, the warning look was beginning to appear.
The sign that clearly said for her not to press any further.  The same one
that appeared whenever she bitterly comped,
thinking of the ironic situation that might occur when they finally saw
each other.  What if she looked at him and realized that she wasn't in love
with him?  What then?
	The laugh that escaped Starbuck's lips startled her.  "Oh, Sheba, don't
worry.  If I know Apollo, he's down there, fretting the very same things.
He's madly in love with you, just like he was in the yahren before he died.
 I think --"
	"He died?"  The words didn't make sense to her, even less than the ones
Starbuck had uttered when he slipped the fact that Apollo was still alive.
"Starbuck, I'm still in shock with the fact that he's down in my lifebay.
What in Hades are you talking about?  He died?  If he did, then what's he
doing here?"
	For long number of microns, Starbuck just looked at her as silence seemed
to weigh in on them.  There was something about his expression that told
her that he was waging an inner war on how to state something, but for the
life of her, she had no idea what he was trying to say.  Instead, lained about Cassiopia yahrens ago.
	Instead, Cain changed the topic, rather deliberately and bluntly; flipping
the focus of past relationships from the father to the daughter.  "Speaking
of Apollo, Sheba.  He's a good man, and despite any disagreements we've had
over the yahrens, both here and at Gamoray, he's obviously got a good head
on his shoulders.  I wish I could have seen it before, but I'm so pleased
for you that you're able to have a second chance at happiness.  There's
only one question I have, though."
	"Oh?"  Sheba was amused at her father's gruff approval of Josce's father,
and the fact that unlike previous beaus, Cain wasn't about to go on a blood
hunt after Apollo, intent on fetching a rather delicate booty.  Smiling at
the thought, she wondered at what her father meant.  "It can't be as bad as
my question about Poinciana, hmm?"
	"Not quite, but what about Bojay?  I know you've mentioned that you're
about to be permanently severed, but has it gone through yet?"  He paused
for a she
waited patiently until he was able to voice his words.
	"Do you remember Count Iblis?" he finally asked, watching her face for a
reaction.  Any traces of humor had vanished, and he was almost somber in
his words.
	"Of course I remember him," she replied, shivering slightly in memory.
"Well, most of it, anyway.  Why?"
	"You and I both know that Apollo died there, on Iblis' planet.  Iblis
tried to kill you, but Apollo got in the way."  Starbuck brought his hands
up, as though warding off any additional questions that she might have.
"Even so, he came back to us, when those beings on the Ship of Lights gave
his life back.  And only when you and I said that we would trade our lives
for his.  Do you remember that?"
	"Yes, I do.  As much as possible, that is."  Those events, although she
knew they were real, were more like dream images.  The kind of images that
floated before her, yet darted away whenever she tried to see them in more
detail.
	"We never questioned that it was the real Apollo we received then."  His
blue eyes searched her face as she spoke.  "We shouldn't question this
time, either.  It's Apollo who's down there, no matter what.  Different,
yes, but we're all different after eleven yahrens.  We're still the same
people, aren't we?"
	"Starbuck, what aren't you telling me?" she demanded, frowning at him.  No
matter how reassuring the words were supposed to be, Starbuck wasn't
addressing the issue itself.  "If you believe that Apollo is really Apollo,
then I believe you.  But what happened?  Why do you have to tell me all this?"
	"Because..."  Starbuck laughed suddenly, then shook his head.  "Kobol, I
wouldn't even believe it myself if I were in your place.  The problem is
that right now, Apollo looks to be about Boxey's age, and," he paused as he
noticed the unbelieving expression on Sheba's face, "I'd better start from
the beginning."
	She watched him with wide eyes during the rest of the trip down to the
lifebay, as he gave her the main details of Apollo's life in thefew microns, watching her.  "I've always thought that a touch of
closure is appropriate before moving on."
	Sheba winced.  Sometimes even the most helpful advice from her father
somehow came out blunt and a little too sharp.  When she spoke, her voice
took on a wry note.  "So do I, believe me.  I had the papers drawn up and
delivered to Bojay.  The only problem is that they're still over there on
the Galactica, while we're here.  He just needed to sign them."
	He nodded.  "If I may suggest, baby, there's a possibility that it might
be awhile before we reach the Galactica.  It all depends on how soon the
Achilles can travel, and where exactly the fleet is.  Then again, Adama
might find us tomorrow, or we may find them.  Either way, it's best to be
prepared.  You can re-file the papers again.  The Star Kobol has a few
legists, I know.  More than a few, actually."
	"It's an idea," she nodded.  "I can look into it tomorrow while I'm over
there.  In the meantime, Father, I'm getting tired, and it sou last few
yahrens.  Truly, the last four yahrens, because that, according to
Starbuck, was how long he'd been alive.  She stared at him in wide-eyed
fascination, not sure if she should take the proverbial grain of salt while
listening, or whether a slab would be more appropriate, especially when he
described what the Shelborn had done to Apollo while he was in their care.
	"And I swear to Kobol," he finished, "that it's true."
	The lift door opened onto the deck where the lifebay was located.  Sheba
didn't respond as she stepped out, but her mind was whirling as much as her
stomach.  Now that their destination was in sight, she hurried to the doorway.
	By some odd luck, the very first person they encountered was Cassiopia.
Sheba stood back, watching as the couple stared at each other as though
presented with a vision of their fondest desires, even though both, she
assumed, knew about the other's presence.
	Finally, Starbuck stepped forward and wrapped his arms around his wife's
shoulders to brinds like
another long day tomorrow.  I'll see you tomorrow on the Pegasus, all right?"
	"Eleven hundred centars, baby," he reminded her, then smiled.  "Good
night, Sheba.  I love you."
	Surprised at the final words, Sheba repeated them as the screen blanked
out.  A few microns later, she laughed, knowing that Cain had most
definitely changed in order to say those three words.  A second chance at
fatherhood, with his new daughter with him aboard the ship every single day
of her life, must have been such a difference to him.  For a few microns,
she felt jealous at how lucky little Meve was.
	Shaking her head, she keyed in the code to Ila's quarters, wanting to
check up on Josce before she went to bed.  Apollo's mother answered, her
silver hair tumbling around and past her shoulders in a way that was
reminiscent of Athena's.  Her blouse lent a hint of green to her blue eyes,
making them appear for a few microns the same color as both Josce's and
Apollo's.
	Although they had only actually talked ong her into a tight embrace.  Cassie's eyes were tightly
shut as she brought her own arms up to keep him from pulling back, not that
it appeared either one was ready to do that at the moment.  Sheba could
only see Cassiopia's face, but she was sure that Starbuck was crying just
as much as she was.
	Leaving the couple to their reunion, Sheba stepped past them to look
around the lifebay.  It was fairly full, and as she looked for men with
dark hair, she felt her giddiness come back with a vengeance.  Each time
she saw someone who met the basic description, a wash of excitement came
over her, but only vanished slightly when she realized that it wasn't him.
	She finally located them at the other side of the lifebay, near the wall.
With large steps, she made her way over.  Feeling sick to her stomach, she
focused her attention on the smaller body lying in the lifepod.  Josce
appeared to be asleep, looking peaceful.  His dark hair was pushed back
from his forehead, and Sheba could see a dark bruise onnce or twice since the Achilles
arrived, Sheba already had a good sense of that the older woman was like.
Strong-willed, yet diplomatic like her husband, and with a gentleness that
made Sheba feel very comfortable.  There was the impression that she was a
loving grandmother, not a bureautician who could hold her own against any
political foe.
	"Did I wake you?" Sheba whispered, realizing that she had more than likely
done so.  "I'm sorry..."
	Ila waved the concern away.  "I was just reading, dear, before retiring.
What's on your mind?"
	"I just wanted to check up on Josce.  Is he asleep?"
	"He has been for the last centar or so.  I think he and Meve explored
every corner of the Star Kobol today.  They wore themselves out
completely," she told Sheba, with a smile that Sheba remembered seeing from
her own grandmothers.  "And he had a good dinner, too.  He eats more than
either his father or his Uncle Zac ever did.  He'll be a big boy when he
finishes growing, I'm sure!"
	Sheba laughed.  "I thin his head.  With a
sigh, she reached down to adjust the blankets over her son's body, and was
surprised to see his eyes open.
	"Mommy," he murmured, sounding as if he were half asleep.  To prove her
observation, he blinked several times, as though it were an extreme effort
to keep his eyelids open.  "Guess what..."
	"What, Jos?" she replied, brushing his hair with her fingers.
	A smile came onto his lips, one of the bright ones that made Sheba's lips
turn up, too.  "I saw my angel, Mommy.  He came to watch over me, just like
Boxey said he would..."
	Gathering the courage, Sheba looked across at the chair that had been
placed next to the lifepod, and at the man sitting in it.  With eyes almost
the same color as Josce's, Apollo was watching her quietly, and as she met
his gaze evenly, she felt herself go cold with shock.  Despite everything
Starbuck had told her, she wasn't prepared to see him.
	Feeling very unsteady, she smiled at him, then looked back down at their
son.  Josce's eyes were slowk so, too.  Ila, thank you for taking him in for
the night.  I suppose Starbuck and the others needed a rest for the evening?"
	"I suppose they do," she smiled, then it faded somewhat after a moment.
"Sheba, I'm not entirely sure what's going on, but I'm pretty sure he's
having a hard time around Apollo.  I think he doesn't know what to do about
him."
	A sigh escaped Sheba's lips.  "I was afraid of that, though I didn't
really expect it to happen.  He's always looked up to Apollo all his life,
or to what he perceived through us what Apollo was.  I thought that now
he's seeing the real thing, they'd be getting along really well."
	A sympathetic look came onto Ila's face as she spoke.  "Sheba, when Apollo
was very young, his father was gone for upwards of two yahrens.  When Adama
finally came home, Apollo didn't recognize him at all, and he refused to go
to him.  It nearly killed me when I realized that.  Josce's doing basically
what Apollo did, though Apollo was more drastic.  He withdrew, and sely drifting shut again, and Sheba waited until
he was asleep again before moving.  Rising slowly from his side, she took
measured steps to walk around the lifepod to face Apollo.  He appeared to
be frozen to his seat, and Sheba had to laugh, knowing that he was feeling
the same way she was.
	Starbuck was right, she almost immediately noted as she faced him again.
While Apollo had always been boyishly handsome, he definitely looked to be
at least a decade younger than he had ten yahrens ago.  Her eyes almost
immediately noticed the dark goatee that encircled his lips, and she
suddenly had the urge to laugh.  He just looked ridiculous with it, like
someone with a babyface trying to appear yahrens older than they really were.
	"Are you all right?" she finally asked, after countless microns spent
looking at each other.  The humor in seeing his facial hair still made her
want to laugh, and she had to consciously put it aside.  She was glad for
that, because it gave her something to concentrate on insemed
to stay in the background, just watching Adama until he got used to him."
	Sheba sighed, nodding.  "And that's what it will take this time, too?"
	"I'm afraid so.  I just thought you should know, though I'm sure others
have noticed it.  You might want to bring it up with Josce, too," Ila
suggested, with a tone in her voice that meant it was more than a mere
suggestion.  She recommended it highly; if she'd been Adama, Sheba was
sure, she would have ordered it.
	Memories of other conversations that she'd meant to have with her son came
to mind, and Sheba sighed deeply.  Bojay and the severance.  Now Apollo,
and their future as a family.  For a few microns, it felt like Sheba was
being overwhelmed, and she brought her hand up to massage the bridge of her
nose and between her eyebrows.
	"I will.  I've been meaning to, but," she laughed bitterly, "life got in
the way.  The Achilles and the attack, and then finding you, my father, and
Apollo.  It's just been too hectic."
	"Believe me, my dear, tead of her
nervousness.
	His voice was slightly rough from the smoke he'd inhaled earlier in delta
section, but it was the voice she remembered.  "Five centons ago, I would
have answered 'yes,' but now..."  He gave a wan smile as he chuckled, but
otherwise didn't move from the chair.  "I have no idea what I'm supposed to
say right now."
	"You and me, both," she murmured in reply, feeling her cheeks redden
slightly.  She glanced back to where she'd left Starbuck and Cassiopia,
seeing that they hadn't quite moved from their embrace just yet.
	Part of her wanted to stomp in frustration, and she sighed as she
remembered the dream from the night before.  That had been so magical; why
couldn't something like that be happening right then and now?  Reality was
much more awkward.
	She looked back at Apollo, seeing that he was blushing, too.  She watched
his reaction, then heard his laugh as he shook his head.
	"Do you realize that we're staring at each other like two kids who are too
shy to talk to eI understand.  We mothers all have things in
common."  Ila gave a warm smile, and seemed to be about to say something
when Sheba felt the need to ask something.
	"Ila?  How long did it take Apollo to get used to Adama?"
	"About two or three days, but that doesn't mean anything with Josce," the
older woman said.  "He just needs time, Sheba, to get used to everything.
He's had all these changes in a row, and in time, he'll be fine.  Just be
patient, and everything will turn out in the end."
	A wry smile found its way to Sheba's lips.  "You sound like you have all
the answers, Ila."
	She laughed.  "I suppose I do, but when I was your age, I was asking the
very same questions.  Now you'd better go, or else you'll be tired
tomorrow.  It's going to be a long day.  I'll make sure Josce's tucked in."
	"Thanks, Ila.  See you tomorrow at the war quorum," she smiled, and the
silver-haired woman gave a small wave as the screen darkened.  Satisfied
for the moment, Sheba checked her messages one last time beach other?" he asked, and a grin quickly developed on his
face.  To Sheba's delight, it was the grin that she remembered so well.  To
her, it felt like the self-conscious barrier between them was beginning to
crumble.
	"Really, I hadn't noticed," she smiled in reply as she stepped forward.
Tentatively, she reached out to touch him, and felt her hand grasp his.
The moment their fingers were intertwined, and their palms were touching,
their gazes locked.  Sheba found herself staring into the green depths of
his eyes, and found her worries vanishing.  Without a doubt, she knew, this
was Apollo.
	Still holding her hand, he stood, and Sheba found herself looking up at
him.  She'd forgotten that he was taller than Bojay, if only by a
centimetron or two.  But any other thoughts left her mind as she felt the
fingers of his free hand brush against her cheek in the gentlest of
touches.  She closed her eyes, savoring both the feeling and the knowledge
that this wasn't a dream.
	"Sheba..."  His voice was fore heading for
bed.
	It seemed like the micron she shut her eyes, she fell asleep, and another
few microns after that, she had to wake up.  She grimaced as she raised her
head from the pillow to glance at the chronometer, seeing that the alarm
had indeed not gone off early.  With a reluctant sigh, she got ready to
start her day.
	Half a centar before she was due to depart for the Pegasus, Ludlow
presented her with a handful of last-centon reports for her to go through
on the bridge.  With a sigh, she settled down in her command chair to go
through them, tucking a few strays strands of hair that never seemed to
want to stay pulled back anymore as she began to read.
	The quiet sound of someone clearing their throat made Sheba look up.
Ludlow hadn't moved since giving her the papers, and stood awkwardly near
her seat.  With his huge stature, it looked odd.  He gave her a crooked
smile as she nodded for him to speak.
	"Ah, Captain, I was hoping that you might do me a favor while you're
aboard theavy with emotion, and when Sheba reopened her
eyes, she saw that his eyes were brimming with tears.  She heard his breath
catch in his throat, words unable to pass through his lips for several
microns until he finally whispered, "I love you."
	Hearing those cherished words, she laughed, hearing the tears in her own
her voice.  "Kobol, Apollo, I know.  I know, and..."  Her voice caught on a
sob, making her unable to finish.
	With trembling hands and a racing heartbeat, she felt him pull her into an
embrace.  As she brought her arms to encircle his waist, she realized the
two of them still fit perfectly together, just like they had while dancing
in the dream.  She smiled to herself, especially when she realized that his
pulse was going at about the same speed as her own.
	"Feels almost like something from a dream," he murmured.
	Sheba tried not to laugh at his words, especially since they were echoing
her earlier thoughts perfectly.  One hand slipped down to his hip level.
"Want me to pinch youhe Pegasus," he said slowly.  "I'd like to have a conversation with
Apollo, if possible.  Man to man.  Er," he faltered, seeing her brows
drawing together into a frown, "I had a conversation with Josce about
certain problems the lad's having with his father, and I suggested that I
could discuss the matter with him."
	Her first officer's honest blue eyes looked down at her, and something
about them reminded her of Ila's eyes the night before.  Both were
concerned about her son, she knew, and if it was going to take time for
Josce to get used to the situation, then perhaps Ludlow could help Josce
through the meantime.
	She nodded.  "I will, Ludlow.  Thanks, too, for doing this.  You have no
idea how much I appreciate it, on top of all the extra duty you've been
pulling lately."
	A sheepish smile appeared on his face.  "Sometimes things take a little
more effort to turn out right.  My mother would agree with that, I'm sure."
	"She sounds like a very wise woman," she agreed with a smile.  Glancing
 to find out?"
	She heard his laugh.  "Kobol, and you're just as dirty-minded as you were
before.  I'd take you up on your offer, but we're in public."
	Pulling back, Sheba regarded their sleeping son, then at the other
lifepods that were located about them.  No one appeared to be awake, but
she knew that Apollo was right.  Across the room, she noticed that Starbuck
and Cassiopia were giving them rather smugly satisfied expressions.
	"Maybe some place more private would be in order?" she asked, giving him a
sly smile.
	"Talking might be a good thing," he nodded, then glanced about the
lifebay.  He frowned as he noticed Cassiopia motioning to one of the
offices at the side of the lifebay.  "One of those, I guess?"
	She took the lead, heading for the nearest doorway.  Peeking inside, she
smiled as she realized that it was empty, and motioned for Apollo to go in
first.  As he passed her, she studied him carefully, realizing that she was
looking for more clues that it was Apollo.  In other ways, sh
back at the papers, she leafed through to the end, seeing that there wasn't
anything too pressing or startling.  The only thing that didn't seemed to
be answered with the leafs of paper was that the ship's future was in
limbo.  With a sigh, she handed them back to Ludlow.  "Well, anything else
before I'm off?"
	He nodded, his smile faded a few degrees.  "Actually, yes.  You'll
probably have a few fellow passengers over on the shuttle."
	"Oh?  Who?"
	"The warriors and the other support teams that were transferred over here
from the Galactica before we were separated from the fleet.  They've been
working almost nonstop in the meantime, and the shuttle's that supposed to
take you over to your father's ship is bringing over their replacements."
He quirked an eyebrow.  "Guess who?"
	"Oh, lords..."  Now she knew why she shouldn't have gotten out of bed that
morning.  The saying went that getting out on the wrong side of the bed
brought bad luck.  What about getting out on the wrong side of a bed thae was looking
for signs of Josce in him, for ideas of what her son might look like in
yahrens to come.
	"Is everything with the ship secured?" he asked, setting himself on the
edge of the desk.  There was something about his posture, Sheba noted, that
hinted that he'd gained some composure since they initially saw each other.
 Instead of looking awkward, he looked more... like himself, or as close to
himself as he could get under the circumstances.
	"For now, yes."  She smiled, realizing that she felt like a lieutenant on
report.  It was a feeling that she didn't experience anymore, especially
since she'd taken command of the _Achilles_.  Only Apollo could succeed in
doing that, she was certain.  "My first officer has instructions to contact
me if anything changes.  Jolly tells me that the _Pegasus_ is on her way,
so we won't be out here drifting by ourselves."
	"That'll be a relief," he agreed, nodding slightly.  "I'm sorry about your
ship, though.  There's really not much left of your quartert
wasn't even yours?  "Do I really need to guess?"
	"No, not really."
	She groaned.
	"There, there," he chided, straightening the papers in his hands.  He gave
her a sympathetic look.  "On the bright side, you'll be seeing your
sweetheart on the Pegasus.  Consider it a wee bit of hell before you get
the sweet taste of heaven."
	Another groan, followed this time with Sheba covering her eyes with her
hand.  "Ludlow, your poetry needs work."
	"Maybe, but I try," he shrugged.  "Now, Captain, you have a shuttle to
catch."
	All the way down to the bays, Sheba made sure that she kept in mind the
images of Josce, her father and Apollo to get her through what was awaiting
her.  Only a few dozen centons, and then it would be over.  She could do
it.  Hades, she'd given birth.  She could do it!

	The shuttle was nearly loaded by the time she arrived, and she walked
through the hatch, head held high, as she went to the cockpit.  As she
passed the passengers, she didn't look at the faces, instead remainis, because of
the fire.  I'm not sure how much could have survived the flames, and then
the solenite."
	She smiled at him, especially at his condolences.  "Apollo, I'm just happy
that the ship's intact, Josce is safe, my father is on his way, and that I
have you back in my life."
	His cheeks colored again, and he smiled shyly.  "Well, we're getting down
to business already, are we?"
	"Small talk was never my forte," she replied, her own lips turning up into
a smile.  "Look, if you want, we can hold off this conversation for another
day.  I mean, you must be tired after what's happened today.  I know I am."
	He snorted.  "This is probably going to be the only chance in several days
that we'll have to talk about anything personal.  You'll be in endless
conferences with your father, who will probably steal all your extra
attention that isn't devoted to repairs or to Josce.  And we can't forget
about your old friends on the _Pegasus_ who'll be all clamoring for your
attentions."
	Old practical Apng
intent on reaching the pilots.  She smiled as she recognized Barthel and
Bina, whom she'd both flown with during her Pegasus days.  They smiled as
they recognized her, and Bina gave her a mock salute when she arrived.
	"Capt'n," she greeted.  "We're almost ready to depart.  Just another
centon or two."
	Sheba nodded.  "All right.  As soon as you get word that it's finished,
and once the bridge gives you clearance, launch."
	"Yes, ma'am."  Bina grinned.  "It's good to see you again, Sheba."
	"You, too, Bina."  She looked over at the man in the co-pilot's seat.
"Barthel."
	He smiled at her, and with that, Sheba headed back to the passengers'
area.  On her initial pass, she hadn't noticed just how full the seats
were.  True to some of her recent luck, the only empty seat was located
directly none other than her soon-to-be ex-husband.  Steeling herself and
putting on a dignified smile, she lowered herself into the chair.
	Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Bojay, with his blonde hair
ollo.  Sheba laughed at his words, knowing that he was
undoubtedly correct with every point.  "Too true.  Still, do I detect a
hint of jealousy in your words?"
	For a few microns, she wondered if it was the wrong thing to say.  She
remember yahrens ago, when she'd teased him once about being jealous about
the attention she was giving Iblis.  While he had every right to be
concerned, he hadn't taken her words very well.  This time, he seemed to
take it in stride.
	"Well, in a way, I am," he admitted, shrugging slightly.  "Even so, it's
been at least sixteen yahrens since you last saw your father.  He takes
precedence over me.  Of course, I'll probably be busy with patrols and
meetings with Hagan that I'll barely have free time for myself outside of
sleep period.  That time, if possible, I'd like to spend with Josce, if he
wants."
	"I think he'll love that idea," she agreed, then glanced back at the
doorway, a slight frown on her face as she realized something.  "Though, he
might believe all thithat was just beginning to go grey.  The outline of his features, and the
slight smile that was playing on his lips.  A smile?  Why was he smiling?
Sheba groaned inwardly, and told herself sternly to not pay any attention.
	The shuttle launched before long, and they were on their way.  Leaning
back in her seat and carefully crossing her legs, she settled her hands
into her lap.  Then she realized a problem.  If she looked up, she'd
eventually look over at Bojay.  If she didn't look up, however, it would be
clear that she was avoiding him.  It was probably already painfully obvious
by now, too, and as she came to that realization, she felt like every
single eye on the shuttle, save the pilots', were focused on her and Bojay.
 Quiet thoughts, betting and wondering about what was going to happen next.
	Reluctantly, she looked up and around her.  She was genuinely surprised
when she realized that no one was looking her way.  The crews were just
simply too tired from all their emergency work to care as isn't real.  I mean, he's been told over and over
again that you were dead, and you heard what he said in there, about you
being his angel."
	"He mentioned it to me earlier.  It's odd to hear my own words coming back
to me, though," he reflected with a sigh.  "But who knows?  Maybe Boxey was
right about me being his angel.  I don't remember anything of those yahrens
when I was, well, dead, just like I don't remember anything that happened
yahrens ago with Iblis.  But I guess I really was there at the right time
today, thank Kobol."
	"And thank you for that," she replied, feeling a lump building in her
throat as she spoke.  The briefest flashes of horrible what-ifs appeared in
her mind's eye, before she had to consciously put them down.  "I can't
imagine what life without Josce would be like.  It's not even something I
want to consider!"
	"And I don't blame you.  Still, I'm the one who should be thanking you."
He held his hands out before him, a familiar gesture from yahrens past
meaning thatbout something as
trivial as her tumultuous love life.  The only one paying attention to her
and her problems was, well, herself.  And, of course, Bojay.
	That smile again, which faded when she finally looked at him in the face.
A hesitant smile of greeting came on her face, as inside she wished that
she could be anywhere in the universe -- anywhere! -- save here on the
shuttle next to Bojay.
	"You're looking well," he finally said after the ship launched, the first
to break the silence that seemed to exist only between them.  It was as
though a bubble of tension had been erected around them; effectively
blocking out the conversations around them.  The beginnings of a
conversation broke the illusion.
	"Thanks," she said, and had to suppress the urge to push her hair back
over her shoulder.  Lords, this was getting pitiful.  She gave him another
glance.  "You're looking all right, yourself."
	He nodded, and his grin came back.  It gave him an elfin appearance, one
that she hadn't seen on him in he was at a loss for words.  "It's a long story, about what
happened, why I didn't come back.  I assume that Starbuck's told you most
of my story, right?"
	"Every fantastic detail," she nodded.
	"Typical, stealing the show," he grinned, then laughed self-consciously.
"No, I'm glad he did.  It's not exactly my favorite pastime, trying to
convince people of the truth.  Anyway, if I had come back, things would
have been so different, but even so, you raised our son by yourself.
Starbuck, Athena, Jolly, and even Giles and Brie, they have nothing but
praise for you and Josce.  I wanted you to know that it means so much to me."
	She felt her own cheeks blush in reply.  "I did what I had to do, and
maybe not the best way in several instances.  But I did it, just the way
you did with Boxey after Serina died."
	"True."  He smiled, then laughed.  "Well, so much for small talk, hmm?  I
think we've completely avoided the real topic at hand.  Look, Sheba, I know
what you're going through.  If you want to r sectars, not since his Amante escapades
started.  She hid her smile, but then it wasn't necessary as he spoke
again.  There was nothing funny about his next words.
	"I should be offering you my congratulations," he said, in a semi-solemn
tone.  "So, congratulations."
	She quirked an eyebrow at him, otherwise determined not to display any
other reaction.  "Thank you."
	"No problem," he replied, settling back in his seat.  "You must be very
happy to have him back in your life, hmm?  Brings a happy end to the entire
story, doesn't it?"
	She rolled her eyes.  "Your point being?"
	"Ah, I don't actually have a point," he shot back, smiling.  "Just making
conversation."
	"Don't," she said simply, closing her eyes, then realized that now might
be a good idea to get a few things across.  She glanced at him.  "Actually,
Bojay, I have something to tell you.  When I go over to the Star Kobol
today, I'm refiling the severance papers."
	"That's a little pessimistic of you," he replied, frowning slightly.
estart our relationship, or if
you don't want to just yet, I'll abide by your decision."
	For a few microns, she felt like all the weight was being placed on her
shoulders, and she wasn't comfortable with that at all.  "What about you,
though?  Do you want to continue?"
	"Yes."  The answer came plain and simple from his lips, but he almost
immediately relented.  "I mean, we might have to go a little slow --"
	She snorted this time.  "Another four yahrens?"
	"I said a _little_ slow, not a dead crawl," he shot back with a vaguely
irritated look.  "Fate played a trick on us last time because we went too
slow.  I'm not about to make that same mistake again, if we decide to
continue."
	"I understand," she nodded.  "I'm sorry for that."
	His smile was gentle.  "Don't worry, Sheba.  I was an astrum before,
insisting that we go slow, while I really wanted to go faster.  It's just
that I was frightened."
	"I remember our conversations," she replied.  "All right, I need to
decide, while you want to sta
"Sounds like you don't expect us to get back to the fleet.  Why don't we
wait until then, instead of putting some poor legist through some
unnecessary work?"
	"Of course I want to return to the fleet!" she shot back.  "My eldest son
lives there, remember?  I hope we find the Galactica, and the sooner the
better."
	Bojay ducked his head slightly.  "Sorry about that.  Still, the papers?
If we wait, that'll be like making an offering to the fates that we get
there safely."
	"You never were a romantic," she said dryly.  "Why are you trying to be
one now?"
	"Never had the inspiration before," he told her.  "Besides, Sheba, I don't
want you rushing into things too quickly.  Especially after all that's
happened in the last few days.  You need some stability, not a --"
	"Not a what?"  She turned in her seat to face him, her brown eyes narrowed
with suspicion.  She had to stop herself from wanting to slap him.  As it
was, she was sure that they were attracting a lot of attention from those
sitting arrt again.  I don't know...  Doesn't this all
strike you as odd?"
	"Why?" he frowned.
	"I still don't know if we have that..."  She cut herself off, since she
knew the answer that question.  She was going to ask about whether they
still had the same chemistry, but their earlier embrace answered that part.
 "Is it really love?  I mean, I think I still feel something for you, but
whether it's love or fond memories, or..."
	"Is that your way of saying that you love me?"  She looked up sharply at
his words, then noticed that his smile had returned and grown into a grin.
"If so, Sheba, then you should know that there's only one thing I'm certain
about, and it's that I love you with all my soul.  Despite everything
that's happened, my love for you is the only thing that's remained constant."
	She felt her pulse quicken, and to her surprise, she felt her eyes
moisten.  Bringing one hand up to wipe the tears away before they fell, she
whispered, "And I love you, too.  Gods, Apollo, I've missed you!"
	Hound them.  "Bojay?  Not a what?"
	He cleared his throat, but otherwise seemed to try to change the topic.
"Well, Sheba, I guess what I'm trying to say is that I might have been a
little hard on you the other secton when I said that you were living for a
ghost.  You might have been right after all to think that he was alive."
	What was she supposed to say to that?  That she never actually believed
that Apollo had survived -- or whatever the real story was?  That she had
always believed he was dead, and it was just his memory that seemed to have
been plaguing her over the yahrens?
	Instead, she just nodded, shrugging slightly as she settled back into her
seat.  A glance at her chronometer told her that they only have a few
centons left before they landed on the Pegasus, and truth be told, she'd
more or less lost interest in having a discussion with Bojay.  She had the
feeling that there were many more items that day that would need her
attention, and this was just a waste of energy.
	A few centois own eyes tearing, Apollo rose from the desk, and went to embrace her
again.  She lay her head against his shoulder, and felt her tears running
down her face onto his shirt.  Whether they were tears of joy, or
frustration, she didn't know.  What she did know was the feeling of his
fingers as they brushed her hair as he held her tightly, as though she
might be wrenched from his grasp at any micron.
	"I've missed you, too," he murmured.
	They remained in that position until Sheba's tears were finished, and she
suddenly became aware of Apollo's arms around her.  His body was firm
against hers, and she closed her eyes, enjoying the real sensation of
having him again.  After a few microns, she had the urge to do something.
	Lifting her head, she brushed her lips against his neck, just enough so it
was a very light touch.  He squirmed at the touch, and Sheba tried not to
laugh.  It was the same old reaction that he always used to give.
	Satisfied, she pushed back against him, getting him to move bacns later, however, Bojay was talking again.  There seemed to be
a genuinely sincere tone to his voice, and she glanced over at him.  "Okay,
so I've been an astrum.  I'm sorry, Sheba.  If you really feel it's
necessary, you can get those papers filed.  I'll sign them when they're
ready."
	She smiled at him.  "Thank you, Bojay."
	In reply, he shrugged slightly.  "Hey, if we can't be sealed, I'd at least
like to be your friend.  Like we were before, when we used to be on the
Pegasus."
	His declaration caught her surprise, but then she laughed.  If anything,
it was the most optimistic thing he'd said in ages, and it made her feel a
little better about the entire severance situation.
	"Friends," she nodded.  
	Within a few centons, they were finally aboard the Pegasus, and Sheba
waited in her seat until most of the other passengers were off before
standing up.  Next to her, Bojay was doing the same thing.  From the
cockpit, she could see Barthel and Bina shutting down the shuttle's systems
	"Hey, kward until
he was sitting on the edge of the desk again.  With a smile, she moved her
lips up to his, and they kissed.
	For the next few centons, they forgot all that there was outside the door
of the office.  All that had happened before lay beyond the realm of their
immediate thoughts.  As a whispered phrase of long-forgotten poetry echoed
in Sheba's mind instructed:

	"Grasp when you have love,
	or risk being incomplete.
	For we were made for love,
	Whether bitter or sweet."


Part 18 - Fantasies and Realities

	A group of Cylons could have marched by, in full ceremonial dress
complete with marching band, and Starbuck wouldn't have noticed.  The
Imperious Leader himself could have strode right up to him to ask if
he could play a hand of Pyramid, and Starbuck would have ignored him.
	All that mattered to him was being held in his arms.  The only thing
that meant anything to him was Cassiopia.  All of his senses were
filled with her, his mind concentrated on the feeling of her body
agBojay!" Barthel called from his seat.  "Go on ahead, we'll meet you
out in the bay."
	The Captain nodded his agreement, then motioned for Sheba to leave the
shuttle.  He gave her a smile.  "After you, Sheba.  Might as well go out
and see the sights."
	The bay was incredibly busy when Sheba finally stepped out of the shuttle.
 At a glance, she recognized the daily patterns of traffic that occurred on
the Galactica, with both shuttles headed for the different ships in the
fleet, along with the steady pattern of Vipers were repaired and readied
for patrol.  For a few microns, Sheba had the impression that they were
back aboard the Galactica, and from the look on Bojay's face next to her,
he had the same thoughts.  Life on the Pegasus had never been like that
before.
	Bojay let out a low whistle as he took in the sight, and shook his head.
"My, how times have changed."
	"It's been more than fifteen yahrens, Bojay," she replied, agreeing with
his sentiments completely.  In her imagination, wheneverainst his.  His heart rejoiced, knowing that part of the void within
him was now filled.
	He'd never been one for poetry, but he was certain that the combined
love poems of every poet who ever lived couldn't match the intensity
of that eternal moment.  Everything was just right.  As far as he was
concerned, the last year or so was just a dream; some strange
nightmare concocted from his darkest imagination.
	Reality finally made its way back into his awareness, and
reluctantly, Starbuck pulled away from his wife, but still kept her
close to him.  He found himself out of breath, and from experience, he
knew that Cassie was in the same condition.
	"Hi," he finally said.  "Glad to see that you've missed me."
	She laughed as she wrapped her arm around his waist.  "Of course I
did, Starbuck."
	With a smile, he looked across the room to see how Apollo and Sheba
were faring.  He'd tried his best to get Sheba to understand
everything that had happened to Apollo over the last few yahrens,
things that h she pictured her
father's battlestar as compared to the Galactica, it was always different.
Idealized, perhaps, but always the way she remembered it from those many
yahrens ago.  Maybe, she mused, it was the same way she tended to imagine
Apollo.  Recent events had certainly destroyed that image.
	And speak of the devil.  Across the bay, examining his Viper while
discussing something with a crew chief, was Apollo.  Even from this
distance, she could see his flight helmet sitting on top of his ship, and
even more clearly, she could see the goatee on his face.  The familiar
snicker started to stir within her, and she pulled her professional
composure over to prevent herself from laughing.  She wouldn't degrade
herself to doing that in front of Bojay.
	"Well, I guess we separate here," her ex-husband was saying, not
immediately looking in Apollo's direction.  "I'm supposed to report to
Tolen with the rest of the Galactica's teams, and...  Oh."
	She glanced at him, and saw that he was finally looke didn't even understand himself.  All he wanted was for
his friends to be happy, and to have the happiness that they deserved
after all these yahrens.
	To his relief, he saw Sheba and Apollo embracing.  Cautiously, it
seemed, they held each other, then Apollo closed his eyes tightly, as
though he were about to cry. It was as if holding onto Sheba was the
only way to keep himself under control.
	Looking down, Starbuck exchanged a smile with Cassiopia, seeing the
amusement in her eyes.  He grinned, then laughed softly in agreement.
	"Well, they do say that every cloud has a silver lining," Cassie
suggested, smiling as she watched the reuniting couple.  "Every story
has a happy ending?"
	Starbuck couldn't help but snort.  "Silver lining, I can live with. 
But since when does anyone have a story in their life that actually
seems to end?"
	"Oh, my, you've turned philosophical?" she teased.  "Or has my
optimist turned into a realist?"
	"Maybe both," he mused, turning away from his friends to look ing over in that
direction.  By that time, Sheba had spotted Starbuck at his own Viper next
to Apollo's, and Bojay was looking at both of his former squadron mates.
She didn't say anything, instead letting Bojay get used to the idea that
both men were really alive, and present.
	"Holy frak," Bojay murmured, watching them move around their Vipers.  He
shook his head in amazement and turned his head to look down at Sheba.
"Hearing that they're alive is one thing, but seeing?  It's simply amazing!
 Still, there's only one thing, Sheba..."
	"Hmm?"  She saw the awe quickly change to amusement, and the twinkle in
his eyes warned her that he had something on his mind.  "Do I want to know?"
	"Yeah, actually," he cleared his throat.  "You're severing from me for
that... that... kid?"  He motioned over in Apollo's direction, still
obviously amazed at what he was seeing.  "Sheba, he looks like he's twelve
yahrens old!"
	She laughed despite herself.  "Bojay!  He does not!"
	"Does, too!  Look at him!"  He down at
his wife.  "So, now that we got our formalities out of the way, how
are you?  Are you all right?"
	She nodded.  "Amazingly, I'm fine.  As soon as word arrived that we
were in trouble, I left Sheba's quarters, even though I'd barely
slept.  It's amazing what an adrenaline rush can do for a person."
	"Maybe," he frowned.  "I guess I'm just going to have to take you
over to the _Pegasus_ when we get a chance, so you can rest.  I'd
imagine that you've been on your feet for centars?"
	A slight smile came onto her lips.  "Only centars?  Try a day."
	"That would do it, too," he nodded.
	"And sleeping is looking more and more enticing every centon that
passes," she continued, glancing around the lifebay.  "I think the
worst of the casualties have arrived, and when the _Pegasus_ arrives,
we can transfer our heavier cases over there."
	"And then you're off your feet, even if I have to pick you up
myself," he said solemnly, then punctuated it with a smirk.
	"Yes, dear," she replied, reaching up to adjust his crooked collar. 
When it was straightened, she glanced over at the other side of the
room, then suddenly moved her hand to point to the row of offices
located on their right.  She smiled slyly as she motioned.  "Oh, look,
they're going to talk."
	"Hmm?" he looked over to see Sheba nodding her thanks to Cassiopia,
with Apollo looking somewhat blissful with his arms around her.  With
a grin, Starbuck watched as the couple moved their way to the first
office, then disappeared inside as the door slid shut behind them. 
"About time."
	She nodded once, then stood up straight as one of the _Achilles_'
medtechs called her name from across the room.  Giving her husband an
apologetic look, she hurried over to join them, but Starbuck's voice
calling after her made her pause.
	"What is it?" she asked.
	"Is there anything I can do in the meantime?" he asked, his hand
waving to include the entire lifebay.  "I mean, there's got to be more
constructive things around here to do than watching my shook his head.  "What did he do,
crash-land on the planet bearing a fountain of youth?"
	"Maybe," she grinned.  "But, still, I'd say he doesn't look a day over
twenty-two!"
	He grumbled on that point.  "Okay, maybe twenty-one, but that's it!
Besides, what's that thing growing on his face?  Looks like something
crawled up there, died and got stuck there."
	His words brought a vivid image to Sheba's mind, and she wanted to laugh
hysterically.  When she looked over at Apollo, she had the urge even more
when she realized that neither he nor Starbuck had noticed their presence.
She coughed on a laugh, trying to bring herself under control.
	"Maybe it did," she said, not able to resist at least one giggle.  She
glanced behind them, seeing that Barthel and Bina were finally out of the
shuttle, and she tapped Bojay on the shoulder to get his attention away
from Apollo and his amazing facial hair.  "Better get going, Bojay."
	"Yeah."  He cast one last look at Apollo for the moment, seeing that
Starbucfavorite doctor
in action?"
	She shrugged helplessly for a micron, then indicated some of the
other medtechs.  "Go ask them, they probably have a ton of ideas."
	And they certainly did.  For the next ten centons, Starbuck found
himself at the beck and call of several medtechs, allowing them to be
free to do more important work.  While he busied himself, he found
himself stealing glances at Cassiopia, seeing how she worked.  Every
so often, she could do the exact same thing.  It was as though they
were both thinking that they needed to make sure that they weren't
phantoms that would suddenly dissipate.
	When he had a free micron, Starbuck make his way over to check on
Josce.  The boy was still asleep, and even in his sleep, Starbuck had
to marvel at how much Josce and his father resembled each other. 
Josce had grown a lot since Starbuck had last seen him, and it
wouldn't be long, he knew, before he would outgrow Apollo.
	At every thought of his friend, he glanced back to the office and its
clk was calling something over to him.  The Lieutenant straightened up
when he realized that they were being watched, and fell silent as he
recognized Bojay standing next to Sheba.  A few microns later, Apollo
looked up from his work, and seemed to freeze like a cautious animal
sensing danger nearby.
	Sheba held her breath as the captains looked at one another, their gazes
locked as though challenging and sizing up each other.  Apollo the young
with Bojay the elder.  For a few microns, it seemed like all fell silent,
especially as Sheba and Starbuck watched them, not knowing what might occur
as Sheba's ex-husband watched her more-than-likely future husband.
	To everyone's surprise, including and especially Apollo's, Bojay gave a
brief smile, then glanced over at Sheba.  He turned to Sheba, and a serious
look crossed his features in the micron before he spoke.  "I'll see you
later, Sheba.  Tell Josce I said 'hi,' okay?"
	She nodded, and Bojay smiled before leaving.  Once he left, Apollo visibly
leosed door, wondering what was going on inside.  Were they talking,
or were they getting to know each other again in a more intimate
manner?  For both their sakes, Starbuck sincerely hoped that
everything was just fine.
	Twenty centons after his parents had disappeared, Josce woke up
again.  This time, Starbuck was at his side, and he smiled down at the
confused face on the pillow.  The boy's green eyes had widened to
enormous proportions, reminding Starbuck more than ever of Apollo.
	"Starbuck?" he whispered.
	"Yeah, kid, it's me," he replied, ruffling Josce's dark hair, then
pushed it back from his forehead.  "How are you feeling?"
	"My head hurts."  With a groan, he sat up in the lifepod, then sat
still for a micron or two.  Finally, he looked around the lifebay, his
eyes narrowing as he searched.  "I think I had a dream that Mom was
here."
	"She was, but she's in one of the offices right now."  Starbuck
couldn't help the smile that came onto his face as he spoke the next
sentence.  "She's t his breath out, then looked up to catch Sheba's gaze.  She felt a smile
growing on her lips as she went over to join him.  At the same time, he
left his Viper to meet her midway, calling something over his shoulder to
Starbuck and his crew chief as he hurried over.
	"You're going on patrol?" she asked when they were only a few metrons
apart, feeling disappointed.  She'd wanted Apollo to come with her aboard
the Star Kobol, if only to explain things to her while things were going
on.  She'd also been hoping that they could spend time with Josce after
they picked him up from Ila.
	He nodded sadly.  "Yeah, I'm afraid so.  Starbuck and I were pulled for
patrol when the pilots from Bronze Squadron got sick."
	"Oh," she said.
	"But," he quickly added, a smile on his lips, "when we get back from
patrol, I should have the evening free.  We're going to be out there for
eight centars, and we're not launching until twelve hundred."
	"Well, have fun, and we'll give tonight a try," she told him, then reacin there with --"
	He never had the chance to finish, as Josce suddenly grabbed his
hand.  "Starbuck!  Where have you been?  Everybody told me that you
were dead!  I didn't want to believe them, though!  How did you get
off the planet?  Tell me!"
	With a slight smile, Starbuck started telling him about how he had
been rescued by the _Pegasus_, and their adventures in the sectars
since, especially with Apollo.  When he spoke his friend's name, he
watched Josce for his reaction.  While he knew that it was Apollo who
had rescued him, he didn't know whether the boy had been conscious or
not.
	"You mean, my father?  That Apollo?" he asked, his face showing his
surprise.  His eyes took on a far-away expression.  "So it _was_ him I
saw!  But he's real?  Not an angel?"
	Remembering Boxey's story, Starbuck smiled.  "No, he's alive, just
like you and me.  Of course, there's more to it than that, but he's
still your father."
	"Oh."  Josce sat back in the lifepod, sighing as he did.  "So Mom's
talking thed
out to hug him.  Closing her eyes, she could have almost sworn that it was
eleven yahrens before.  They might have been in the Galactica's landing
bay, with her returning from patrol just in time to wish Apollo luck as the
Blue Leader prepared to launch.
	The illusion shattered as she felt his lips against her forehead, and she
felt his annoying facial hair rasp her skin.  She pulled back to look into
his green eyes, one aspect that hadn't changed in the past decade.  Apollo
smiled down at her, looking blissfully happy despite anything else.
	"The patrol will go by like nothing," he grinned.  "I'll meet you in the
mess hall?"
	"I'll do my best to be there," she agreed, putting her arm around his
waist and directing him back toward his Viper.  "Hey, any advice for the
war quorum today?"
	He shrugged slightly, drawing her closer to him while they walked.  "Well,
pay attention, for one thing.  Listen, see what everyone's saying.  If you
have something to add, do it.  They can always use an exo him right now?"
	"Yeah."
	"Oh," he said again, then a grin came onto his face.  "Boxey's going
to be so happy to hear this!  I mean, to see you and Dad!  When are we
going to see him again?"
	With a wistful smile, Starbuck shook his head.  "I don't know, Jos. 
The _Achilles_ got lost from the fleet, but we're going to find it
just as soon as the _Pegasus_ arrives."
	"Okay.  Then you'll get to see Derdre soon, too."  He made a wry
face, which made Starbuck laugh.  Even after all this time, the two
children still weren't getting along very well.
	"Yeah, I guess I will..." Starbuck replied, imagining his daughter
from the picture that Athena had given him.  A thrill went through
him, when he realized that very soon, he'd be able to see her again. 
It wouldn't be long, he hoped.  The _Achilles_ couldn't have strayed
that far from the main fleet.
	He suddenly felt hands on his shoulder, and he turned to see
Cassiopia standing behind him. She smiled at him, then leaned down to
place a kiss on hitra opinion, I
suppose."
	"Words of wisdom," she laughed.
	"Oh, one more thing."  Apollo looked down at her, trying not to smile too
much.  "My mother and Commander Helen sometimes have a thing about showing
that they're right over your father.  Nothing personal, I think, but
sometimes he tends to get overtly excited."
	"I'll remember.  You know, your mother is quite the character."  She gave
him a coy look.  "She's quite charming.  Too bad you didn't inherit it."
	"Oh?  Then what was it that attracted me to you?" he teased.  "My
intellect?  Sensitivity?  Sense of humor and duty?"
	"No," she giggled, seeing that Starbuck was giving them knowing looks at
they approached.  "Much simpler than that.  Your astrum."
	His cheeks turned a pleasant shade of red, and he ducked his head
slightly.  "Oh, I see...  Well, I'm glad you feel that way."
	She laughed, and Starbuck echoed it, though she doubted that he'd
overheard their conversation.  The lieutenant gave the couple a grin,
shaking his head in ams cheek, before she turned her attention down to
Josce.  The boy was smiling slightly as he watched them, but at the
same time, looked like he was getting sleepy again.
	"How's your head?" she asked him, reaching out to push the hair away
from his forehead.  As she did, she peered at the bruise that was
completely uncovered when the dark strands were moved.  "It's looking
better."
	"It still hurts," he muttered.  "Cassie, where's my mom?  Starbuck
said she's talking with my father."
	She exchanged a glance with her husband.  "She's talking to him
privately, sweetie.  But you should go back to sleep, so your head
will get better.  Do you want something to make it stop hurting for
the moment?"
	"Yes, please."  Josce lay down to rest, as he waited for Cassie to
return with the painkiller.  Watching him, Starbuck reached out to
adjust the blankets around his shoulders.  He was surprised when a
smile appeared on the boy's face.
	"What are you grinning at, squirt?" he teased.
	"I'm just wondering usement.  "Well, well, well...  I haven't seen Apollo
turn that color in yahrens.  It's a sight I've missed, too.  Now would you
mind getting back to the inspection, buddy?  I don't want us heading out
there with ships that might be less than perfection."
	Something about Starbuck's voice made Sheba nervous.  He was usually so
easy-going, but there was a definite tenseness to his voice that made her
feel chilled.  She glanced up at Apollo's face, seeing that he had sobered
back to attend to duty.
	"I know, I know," he grumbled, letting go of Sheba to go back to his ship.
 "Just needed a little break, Starbuck."
	"Yeah, save the breaks until we're done," came the grumbled reply.  "I
don't want to go up against either the Shelborn or the Cymorth, or even the
Cylons, without being in prime condition.  Besides, you're the one who
usually spouts the stuff about being attentive to duty and all that felger."
	Apollo cleared his throat, indicating that his friend should drop the
topic immediately.  Shewhat Bojay's reaction is going to be when he
finds out that my real father's alive."  The boy didn't say anything
else as Cassiopia reappeared with a hypo that she quickly pressed
against Josce's shoulder.
	"How's that?" she asked, reaching up to stroke his forehead gently. 
"Better yet?"
	"Much better already," he murmured in reply, visibly relaxing as the
throbbing in his head lessened to nothing.  "Thank you, Cassie."
	"You're welcome, Jos.  Now go back to sleep, and you'll feel much
better when you wake up."  She waited until the boy closed his eyes,
and quickly drifted off, then looked at her husband.  Her voice was
hushed but humorous.  "I wish Derdre was that easy to handle
sometimes..."
	Starbuck tried not to laugh.  "She comes by it naturally, love."
	"I suppose," she sighed, then smiled.  "She misses you, Starbuck,
though I can guarantee that the micron she sees you, she'll yell, 'I
told you so!'"
	"I try not to disappoint," he smiled at her, then frowned.  "But,
Cassie, if you're ba glanced from one face to the other, wondering
what was going on.
	"Headed out in a dangerous sector?" she asked, watching as Apollo picked
up a scanner before climbing up to the cockpit.
	"You might say that," Starbuck said, glancing up from his own scanner
screen.  "Reprie, the Heimdall leader, gave the Commander a list of
coordinates where they think that Shelborn and their keepers might be
hiding out.  We're supposed to poke around, and see what surprises there
might be."
	"It's not too serious," Apollo added, giving Starbuck an irritated glance.
 "We're just going to ahead of the fleet, but we'll still be within
communications range."
	Starbuck gave an indelicate snort.  "Since when is something that the
Shelborn or Cymorth are involved with not serious?"
	"Never mind!"  Apollo glared over at him, then sighed before looking back
down at Sheba.  "We'll be fine, Sheba.  Um, I think your father's supposed
to be here any centon now, along with the others who are going aboard the
Star Kobolhere, along with me, who's taking care of her?  Is
she all alone on the _Galactica_?"
	"Boomer keeps an eye out for her, I know," she replied, her voice
quiet.  The smile that was on her lips quickly faded as she thought of
their child.  "And I always got help from Chameleon with her, too. 
He's the one watching over her now, actually."
	Starbuck tried not to snort too loudly.  "Chameleon, huh?  Great, now
the kid's going to turn out even more like me.  I was hoping I'd be
redeemed with her.  I mean, those card games I taught her before I was
marooned were fine, but Chameleon's going to teach her Pyramid, and...
 What are you laughing at?"
	"You," she said, kissing the top of his head while trying to contain
her laughter.  Starbuck frowned, waiting for an explanation for the
grin and chuckles that had appeared when he was discussing his
objection to the old con man's influence around his daughter.
	"What about me?" he asked, raising an eyebrow slightly.
	"Just you."  She kissed him a second ti.  The shuttle's over there somewhere, where it's being prepared
for launch."  He pointed to an area beyond the shuttle that had brought her
aboard.
	"Thanks, Apollo," she replied, smiling up at him.  "Be careful on your
patrol, all right?  I'll see you when you return."
	"Hopefully sooner than later."
	"Hey, don't I count?" Starbuck protested from the other Viper, giving a
grin when both captains gave him an exasperated look.  "Okay, okay...
Kissy, kissy, good luck, and all that rot."
	"Uh, yeah, sure, buddy."  Apollo gave Sheba a wink.  "I may look immature,
but at least I don't act it!"

	Cain and a group of delegates arrived a few centons later, just after
Sheba left the two pilots to find the shuttle.  She smiled when her father
appeared, then her eyes widened in astonishment when she saw that Athena
was accompanying him.
	It still caught Sheba by surprise that her friend didn't wear a uniform
any longer, now wearing a formal-looking civilian outfit.  Seeing her,
though, wasn't surprisime, then seemed to
deliberately change the topic.  "They've been in there a long time."
	"They have?  Yeah, I guess so," he grinned, looked at the closed
office door again, then turned a mischievous grin to his wife.  "Think
I should go get them, or should we just leave them be?"
	"It's been over half a centar," Cassiopia mused, turning her gaze
back down to Josce's sleeping face as she spoke.  "Maybe they should
get going.  I mean, they both have responsibilities to look after. 
Sheba has the _Achilles_, and Apollo probably has to attend to the
squadrons, right?"
	"You're right about Sheba, but not Apollo.  He's just a pilot like
me."  The surprise on her face was almost immediate, and he hurried to
explain.  "He's not the highest ranking pilot, so he doesn't have the
same responsibilities, but he's in charge of our wing in Silver Spar
squadron.  It's a long story, otherwise."
	"Ah."  She glanced at the regular medical staff as they worked.  "As
for me, I think I'm done for the moment.  They'ng, since unlike her elder brother, Athena
definitely had an interest in politics.  Back on the Galactica, Sheba knew
that Athena had accompanied her father several times to various Council
meetings, especially after Apollo had disappeared.  It only seemed natural
that she would be involved now.
	"Where are these Heimdall?" she asked them as the shuttle prepared to
leave.  The hatch had already been closed, and no one looked worried that
someone might have been left behind.
	"They left last night with my mother," Athena told her, buckling herself
into her seat, then brushed back a few strands of her dark hair as she
looked up at Sheba.  "Enaj was entertaining Meve and Josce with stories,
last I saw.  They were both entranced.  So was I, actually.  I was
disappointed when they left."
	"Ah," she nodded, knowing how much her son loved a good story.  It seemed
to be something that ran in the family.  Before Athena took her daughter to
Whitby, Sheba remembered visiting once or twice when Boomer woulve got everything more
or less under control, which is a miracle in itself.  With the
casualties from the original Cylon attack that got us into this mess,
and now this latest one, I was thinking earlier that we'd be swamped
for sectons.  Part of me doesn't even think that it's over yet.  I
mean, the nightmare part."
	"In a way, it's not over yet.  We still have to find the _Galactica_
and her fleet."  He let out a breath of expectation and longing. 
"It's almost a dream come true, Cassie.  I have you again, and in
time, hopefully sooner than later, we'll be back with Derdre.  We'll
be a real family again.  I feel like a kid who's just got one present
at Solstice, and they're being promised that the second half will
arrive that afternoon."
	"I love the analogy," she replied with a sigh.  "Now, you'd better go
get them, or else they'll be there for centars."
	With a grin, he rose from the chair and made his way over to the
closed doorway.  Straightening his tunic, he reached up to knock
firmlyd put Eilan
to bed, telling her all kinds of stories.
	She wondered what Boomer was up to now, back in the fleet.  He had
probably organized squadrons to go out looking for the Achilles and the
other ships that had more than likely gone missing during the storm.  How
many days, now?  Four or five?  She was losing track of the time; too much
was happening at once.
	A search...  Sheba closed her eyes, trying to imagine what Troy was going
through.  Undoubtedly, he was pressuring both his grandfather and Boomer
into going out to search for the Achilles.  Knowing him the way she did,
Sheba was certain that he would even try to lead a few patrols by himself.
He certainly had Apollo's will when it came to certain matters, especially
when those he loved were in danger.
	She glanced over at Athena, who had settled back in her seat now that the
shuttle had launched.  One of the first evenings they had spent together,
talking about life and the way things had recently turned out, they had
ended talking  on the doorway three times.  He waited a few microns, expecting
the doorway to slide open at any micron.  When it failed to do so, he
sighed and started a steady tattoo that should have given the couple
an idea that it was him.
	Finally, the door slid open, and Apollo stood there, looking mildly
irritated.  "Yes?"
	"Just making sure you're not both unconscious from fright," he
quipped, glancing in to see that Sheba was sitting on the edge of the
desk.  Both were neatly dressed, and their clothes were no more
wrinkled that Starbuck's own.  He heaved a sigh.  "Aw, come on, you
two!  Eleven yahrens, and you two are just talking in there like
nothing's happened?"
	Sheba laughed while Apollo rolled his eyes.  "Thanks, buddy. 
Besides, I'm on duty, anyway.  And the Life Center isn't really that
ideal a place for that kind of reunion."
	"Yeah, yeah," he said, waving off his friend's comments.  "Anyway, I
have the feeling that we're going to be getting guests from the
battlestar any moment, so betteabout the men in their life.  Bojay, Boomer, Apollo, even
Josce, Troy and Adama.
	Boomer had been on Athena's mind directly from the start; Sheba could have
guessed it had she not been told when his name was mentioned, just from the
anxious look in her friend's eyes.  Something about her demeanor spoke of
long nights spent awake, going over recent events and lamenting past
decisions.  Whether she was right or wrong, and how to possibly rectify and
make do with current circumstances.
	But like pulling teeth, it took a long time to get Athena to vocally
broach the topic.  There were definite hints in the conversation from both
parties about Boomer, mostly from Sheba about this or that thing Boomer had
recently done.  Still, the topic never really directly veered in that
direction until Athena spoke after a brief pause.
	"How about him?  How's he doing?" she asked in a concerned tone.  Her blue
eyes took on a worried look as she met Sheba's gaze.  There was no need to
actually state who "he" was, r for us to be ready when they arrive."
	"Good idea," Sheba said, rising from her position to stride for the
doorway.  She grasped Apollo's hand to pull him along behind her. 
"But there's been no word yet?"
	"None whatsoever," the lieutenant replied, watching them with a smile.
	"Then we'd better get going," she stated, passing Starbuck into the
main lifebay.  She was silent as she walked, feeling Apollo's fingers
wrapped around hers as thoughts flowed through her mind.  Things she
wasn't really ready to think about, ideas and concepts, flashed
through her mind, and she had to consciously put them away.  When the
right time came, she thought, that was when she'd think about them
properly.
	They ended up back at Josce's lifepod, and Sheba looked at Cassie
with concern.  "Is he going to be all right?"
	"It's just a bump on the head.  In a day, he's going to be as
energetic as ever," she replied.  "He had a bit of a headache, so I
gave him a painkiller so he could sleep better."
	"Good," Sheba since Sheba had just told her about what had
occurred when Boomer had shuttled Bojay, Cassie and Wilker to the Achilles.
	"I haven't seen too much of him, as often as I might have otherwise,"
Sheba confessed, "but I know from talking to Boxey that he keeps himself
occupied.  He's got his Triad games, the squadrons, and he's even taken to
transporting your father to Council meetings."  She neglected to mention
that Boomer was one of the few people Adama chose to speak to for almost
any matter.  Most communications were channeled through the bridge where
Colonel Tigh dealt with the matter of the moment.  Adama was entirely
different topic, however, and a particularly volatile one that Sheba didn't
want to broach at that particular moment.
	Athena noticed her slight hesitation, and she waited a few microns before
prompting, "There's more, isn't there?"
	An image of Boomer had come to mind then, from the last time Sheba had
seen him.  The fatigue from countless shifts on the move, but something
deenodded, feeling Apollo's hand squeezing hers in
encouragement.  She glanced over at his concerned face, then realized
something.  "You know, since my quarters are destroyed, we're going to
have a bit of a problem.  Cassie, you and Josce should go aboard the
_Pegasus_ as soon as possible.  I can stay in one of the undamaged
quarters in alpha section, so I can stay aboard."
	"I've got room in my quarters for Josce to stay," Starbuck spoke up,
putting his arm around his wife's shoulders.  He was about to speak
again when he stiffened, realizing that he might be imposing in
Apollo's space.  "But you do, too, Apollo.  I'm sorry, it's just that
for yahrens..."
	What explanation could he offer?  Apollo smiled mirthlessly.  "I
know, I know.  You three have been here all along, but I need to find
my place in the group, even if I am his father."
	"It shouldn't take too long," Sheba said sincerely.  "Josce adjusts
pretty well to new situations.  It always made me envious, especially
when we moved to the per.  "He misses you, Athena, and he misses Eilan.  It's hard to miss."
	Pain crossed her features, and Athena closed her eyes.  "I miss him, too."
 She gave a brief laugh.  "You know the saying that you don't know what you
have until you've lost it?  It's true; very, very painfully true."
	"I know."  Memories of mourning lost opportunities came to Sheba, followed
by a guilty feeling as she realized that while she had a rare second chance
with Apollo, who knew if it would the case of Athena?  Not for the first
time, Sheba prayed that they would locate the Galactica and her fleet as
soon as possible.  "Look, I don't pretend to fully understand your reasons
for leaving in the first place, but I know that we all have to live with
the consequences of our decision."
	A smile played on the younger woman's lips.  "You sound just like Apollo.
He wasn't too happy when he heard about why I left Father and Boomer; he
still isn't too keen on it.  We've had at least one good argument about it.
 He can't unde_Achilles_."
	"Well, he didn't get it from me," he replied.  "When I was little, it
took me about three or four days to get used to Father when he came
home after a two-yahren absence."
	"Don't be silly, he got it from me!" Starbuck interrupted with a
grin, determined not to let them fall into any morose behavior. 
"Anyway, about quarters?"
	"Maybe it would be a good idea for him to stay with you," Apollo
mused.  "I have the feeling that I'm going to be on patrol a lot. 
Whether or not you'll be with me, I don't know.  Better for him to be
with you or Cassie than for him to be in my quarters, alone."
	"I'll make sure he gets over there," Sheba nodded.
	The decision made, silence fell over the four as they watched Josce
sleep for a few microns.  Starbuck was going to say something when he
heard the lifebay's door open, and two warriors stepped in.
	Sheba frowned as she felt Apollo's hand almost involuntarily tighten
as the colonel and the captain made their way over to the group.  She
recognizrstand why I did it voluntarily, especially when he was torn
from the same kind of situation.  I'm wondering the same thing.
	"Once the excitement was over, and we were away from the Shelborn and from
Whitby, I had time to think.  Really think, and try to understand what I'm
doing with my life.  Where I'm going, and what I should do.  I came to a
few realizations, Sheba, and they say that hindsight has perfect vision...
	"I'm still not sure that I believe in Earth.  As far as I know, it's still
a myth.  Boomer was right, though, in staying with the fleet.  He didn't
like conflict within his own family, and that's maybe why he didn't say
anything to me when I was all excited about leaving.  I'm not blaming him,
though, by saying that if he'd said something, things would be different.
I'm not."
	"So what are you going to do?" Sheba had asked her.
	"I'm not sure just yet.  I don't know when we're going to get to the
Galactica, but I hope it's soon."  Athena gave a quiet smile.  "In the
meantime, Ied both, and while the man's name was having difficulty in
surfacing, she knew the woman right away.
	"'Ciana!" she called, letting go of Apollo's hand to go meet her. 
Poinciana's face clearly showed her confusion when she faced her, then
she broke out into a hesitant smile when she recognized her.
	"Sheba?" she gasped, nearly freezing to her spot.  Her blue eyes
flickered past her, to the lifepod and the people surrounding it.
	"It's been a long time," Sheba replied, reaching out to grasp her old
friend's hands with a smile.  "How have you been?"
	Poinciana stammered out a response, still in shock, but for a few
microns, Starbuck wondered if it was just an act.  Her gaze
continually moved from Sheba to where Apollo stood apprehensively by
the lifepod, and from the tense way Apollo stood, he was waiting for
all Hades to break loose.
	Oddly enough, it didn't arrive.  Poinciana seemed genuinely happy at
the moment to see her old friend alive and well.  Hagan did, too, as
he gave Sheba a smile a'll just make the best of what I have going for me."
	Their arrival on the Star Kobol brought Sheba back to the present.  Cain
was muttering about them falling behind schedule, and a glance at her
chronometer told her that they had enough time to reach the conference room.
	When they finally arrived, Athena led Sheba to two of the few empty seats
in the audience while Cain went to join the other members of the quorum in
the front.  As soon as she was seated, Sheba examined the twenty or so
people who had gathered.  Next to Cain was Ila, and the female commander
known as Helen.  A few other civilians and warriors, but to Helen's left
was a trio of aliens.
	"That's them," Athena whispered unnecessarily into her ear.  "Enaj on the
outside, with Reprie in the middle, and I think the one on the right is
named Ory.  I'm not sure what the schedule of today's meeting is going to
be, but they're either going to speak before or after you do."
	"Sounds good enough to me," Sheba nodded, remembering Apollo'ss he bypassed her to speak to Apollo and
Starbuck.
	"Are the Shelborn and company gone?" the lieutenant asked, not
bothering to listen to Sheba's conversation.  If Hades did break
loose, he'd hear it either way.
	"For the moment, they've departed," he nodded.  "Commander Cain sent
Sheelah and two other warriors after them, just to make sure they
don't stay, then skirt around to come back.  The Cylons left before
they did, and we doubt they're going to make it anywhere before their
fuel runs out."
	"Good news for once," Apollo nodded.  "Where's the Commander now?"
	"Still on the _Pegasus_, but he sent word to me that if possible,
we're to bring Sheba back with us.  I know the war quorum is itching
to get some first-hand information about the fleet," he added with a
smile.  "You realize what this recent event means?"
	"Yes and no," Starbuck replied, "but whether that's the same thing
you're thinking, I'm not sure."
	"If the _Achilles_ was separated from the _Galactica_'s fleet just
yesterday,  advice.
Sitting back, she listened as Helen called the meeting to order, and to the
individual reports and discussions that were being given by various
members.  She listened patiently as everything was said, especially as her
father stood to give small speech that she knew would lead into introducing
her to the rest of the quorum and the audience.
	"Along with the arrival of the Heimdall," he said, inclining his head to
the three visitors, "we have also had another very interesting development
of late.  A spatial phenomenon has brought one of the passenger ships in
the Galactica's fleet to us."
	An excited murmur began to fill the room, and Sheba felt many sets of eyes
fall on her as it was realized that no one had seen her before.  She
exchanged glances with Athena, wondering if Athena had gone through this
before when the Whitby colonists had arrived, or whether Jolly or some of
the others had done the debriefing to the quorum.
	"I now invite Captain Sheba, the Achilles' captain, to come upthat means that we're near our destination," Hagan grinned,
looking from one man to the other.  "There's already wagers going
through the squadrons about when we'll exactly find her."
	"What's the best wager?" the lieutenant asked, immediately interested.
	"In money or time?"
	"Either, or," he prompted.  "Well?"
	"Last I heard, two hundred cubits that we'll find her before day's
out.  More conservative approaches are in a few days, or a secton."
	"Anything longer than a secton?" Apollo wondered.
	"A few," Hagan told him.
	A thoughtful look came over Starbuck's face.  "I should get in on
this.  Fifteen days is catching my fancy at the moment."
	"You'll do no such thing," Cassiopia teased, speaking up for the
first time from where she was checking on the adjacent lifepod.  "If
you wager, you're challenging fate."
	"No, just encouraging her," her husband replied.  "If we prompt her
to do something --"
	"She's not going to do it," she finished, glancing at Apollo just in
time to see the smile he and discuss
what she knows about the fleet."  He motioned to her, and she almost
expected there to be some applause as she made her way to her father's
side.  Instead, there was only tense expectation, punctuated by the
staccato bursts of nervous coughs and the background thunder of murmurs.
	Her presentation went more easily than she expected.  She spoke of recent
events, how the Cylons staged the odd raid, and the general sense of
well-being -- in some cases, a lack thereof -- among the ships' populaces.
Orders and mandates issued by the Council and through Commander Adama,
dealing with fleet strategies in the case of a raid; and how the fleet had
fared during the last strike.  The same battle where the Achilles had been
damaged, and the on-going repair effort that ended in her ship being
separated from the main body.
	"As far as I know," she concluded centons later, "the fleet might be in
the same condition we're all currently in.  My ship wasn't the only one
damaged in the last attack; I k was trying to hide.
	"Whatever," he said in exasperation, then looked at the Colonel
again.  "Hagan, this is my wife, Cassiopia.  Cassie, this is Colonel
Hagan, in charge of the squadrons on the _Pegasus_."
	"Pleased to meet you," he replied, then looked over at Apollo. 
"Captain, I'm going to need your assistance.  Cain wants to arrange
patrol schedules so we have two groups in the air at the same time,
one on our flank, and the other one ahead of us."
	"Of course," Apollo nodded.  "Do we have to go now?"
	"As soon as possible, anyway," he replied.
	The dark-haired captain nodded, then knelt down next to the lifepod
so he was more level with the surface.  With a gentle touch, he
adjusted the blankets around his son's shoulders, then brushed his
hand against Josce's cheek.  Satisfied that he was comfortable, Apollo
carefully stood up, then went to Sheba's side.
	"I've got to go," he told her, pulling her attention away from
Poinciana.  He also didn't pay the captain any attention.  "I'm not
now some were in worse condition.  If that
emfield outburst which hit us did the same thing to those other ships, then
the Lords of Kobol themselves might not even know where they are.
	"If that is indeed the case, then I suspect that the Galactica is halted
wherever she is, trying to re-gather her fleet.  Should that be the case,"
she paused, glancing at the quorum, "we might possibly be reunited."
	A flash of various emotions crossed each one's face; relief to worry,
happiness to apprehension.  Ila's blue eyes were filled with such hope that
Sheba almost couldn't look away.  Cain's features took on a determined
expression, his very body language telling that he was prepared to go to
any length to find them.  Commander Helen simply sat back in her chair,
closing her eyes in relief.  Some of the weariness that Sheba hadn't helped
but notice earlier began to ebb away.
	The waves of comments, elated and excited, washed past Sheba, and she
smiled as she prepared to return to her seat, when she caugsure when I'll be available again, but you can always find me or leave
a message for me in my quarters."
	"I'll be sure to do that," she replied, putting her hands on his face
to draw him down into a kiss.  It lasted for only a few moments, but
she felt as though it gave her the strength she needed to do what had
to be done.  "Take care of yourself, then."
	"I will."  He gave her a hug, then pulled away to follow Hagan out of
the lifebay.  As they headed out the door, the Colonel's voice could
be heard, asking why Apollo wasn't in uniform, and Apollo's voice
faintly began an explanation involving fire and boraton.
	Starbuck tried not to react as he saw Poinciana's gaze lingering on
Apollo's retreating form, even when the door closed behind him.  By
slight frown bringing her eyebrows together, it was clear to Starbuck
that Sheba had noticed the obvious discomfort between the two
captains, but wasn't exactly sure what to make of it.  In time, he
knew, she'd know exactly what was going on.
	"We hht sight of the
Heimdall.  She wasn't surprised to see that they weren't joining in the
speculation, since that matter didn't seem to concern or interest them.
The leader and the third member were apparently exchanging comments, while
the one who had befriended her son, Enaj, looked on with a seemingly
neutral expression.  Something, she sensed, was going to happen.
	Ila finally stood, and her movements caused those gathered to hush,
including the aliens.  As the older woman approached the podium, Sheba
hurried back to her seat.  Her optimism was muted as she prepared for the
piece of business at hand.
	"As we welcome Sheba and her information, we also welcome the return of
the Heimdall."  One hand motioned to the guests as she continued.  "I call
on First Trader Reprie to address the quorum."
	The ornately dressed alien approached the front, looking solemn as he did.
 Sheba heard Athena quietly comment on something about him not looking
quite the same as in the pictures she'd seen of him.  Somead to the _Pegasus_ now?" Sheba asked, seeing Poinciana's nod. 
"All right, just let me inform my second-in-command, and we'll be
ready to go in a few microns."
	Poinciana nodded, watching as she went back to the office to use the
telecom.  Her blue eyes traveled across the lifebay, then came to rest
on the lifepod that Starbuck was still standing next to.  With a
curious expression, she went to look inside, as though she were
looking into the den of strange and curious animals.
	"Is that him?" she asked, recognizing the immature features on the
sleeping face.  She glanced up at Starbuck, seeing him nod in
response.  A faint smile came onto her face as she looked down again. 
"Looks like his father."
	If he hadn't known her for the sectars he did, he wouldn't have
picked up the seemingly resigned tone to her voice.  It was as though
seeing Apollo reunited with Sheba was a wake-up for Poinciana; a
realization that she couldn't have the man she was attracted to.  For
the first time, Starbuck feething about the
hair, perhaps, that didn't seem to angle out the same way.  "Less severe
and bizarre," were the words.  "Something's up.  I wish Apollo and Starbuck
were here to see this.  They might be able to understand what's going on."
	"They're on patrol," Sheba hushed her.
	"I know," her friend sighed as the alien spoke.
	"Brief will I be today.  Matters going on are too great at the time
present, for words that mean nothing," he began, taking in the entire room
with his large eyes.  "Bearing news we are, of the Cymorth.
	"When gathered our fleets, reported some groups on encounters.  We thought
strange they were, new and identified not.  The case it is not turned out
to be.  Encountered Cymorth have we before, many of your yahrens ago.
Another time, at the Venturing of the People."
	Reprie paused, motioning for Enaj to come forward.  She understood from
the others that the latter's Colonial Standard was easier to understand
than his leaders, which explained why the narrative was picked lt sorry for her, knowing how it felt to
fall in love, but to have it rejected.
	Cassiopia was uncomfortable in the silence.  He could tell by the way
she seemed to hover, even though her feet were firmly on the deck.  It
was more like she couldn't stay in one place at once, and her smooth
movements led to the observation of hovering.  She pretended to be
busy with something, while glancing at the new arrival who looked down
at the boy so intently.
	As for Poinciana, Starbuck knew that she was a little on edge.  There
hadn't been formal introductions, which he somewhat regretted, but the
captain was intuitive enough to quickly realize that the doctor who
stood before her was none other than her predecessor; Cain's
pre-Molecay lover, Cassiopia.  Between being torn over losing any
chance of gaining Apollo's attention, and her constant attempts to win
back Cain's favors, Poinciana was feeling surrounded.
	"Was there any word on whether we can bring casualties over to the
_Pegasus_' Life Center?" up by him.
	"Three hundred yahren ago, we left our home world, like yours did before
now.  At the time, were there a violent people named Weihnai.  Our
ancestors knew the Weihnai would destroy us, and left we did, believing
they were behind.  We thought they would destroy themselves.
	"They have changed much since them, as we have, which why is we did not
know the Cymorth were the Weihnai.  Technology and ships are changed, but
the people..."  Enaj shook his head, looking at his fellow Heimdall.  "Time
stood still in that manner."
	Cain took that opportunity to speak.  "What were you able to learn about
them, strategically and militarily speaking?  Weapons capabilities, and
their level of technology?"
	"Above us they are," Reprie answered.  "Much, but advantage you have in
areas other than there.  So we understand, not in detail know."
	"Their advantage has been size," Helen pointed out, "and especially in the
beginning, their ability to seemingly appear out of nowhere.  Those are two
pretty sshe finally asked, immediately attracting
Poinciana's attention.  The female warrior stood straight, emerging
from her thoughts to respond.
	"From what I understand, yes.  We have a shuttle here, so we can take
over some of the worse cases, if you'd like," she replied.
	The doctor nodded.  "That would probably be a good idea.  Let me go
discuss it with the lifebay's staff."
	"Cassie!"  Starbuck voice caught her attention before she could
leave.  "What about Josce?"
	"We can take him, too."
	Sheba reappeared a few microns later, looking optimistic as she
rejoined her friends.  "Ludlow says that the basic systems are
secured, and techs from the _Pegasus_ are arriving to help with the
repairs."
	"Good news for once," Starbuck nodded.  "Cassie's seeing if we can
bring some of the wounded over to the _Pegasus_.  We'll bring Josce
over, too, if we can."
	"So a few more centons, then?"
	"Something like that.  We can probably help bring the lifepods down
to the launching bay to load the shuttle."  ubstantial advantages that play in their favor."
	"Organization, strategy, yours are stronger," Enaj told her.  "You also
have intelligence, to learn and find a way to use new information to your
advantage."
	With the Heimdall's words, everyone fell silent, as though realizing for
the first time that they had something in their favor.  Sheba watched as
the commanding officers, along with the rest of the quorum, exchanged
relieved expressions.
	"But that information is all we can give," Reprie finished.  "No more
information can be available until we receive more."
	The meeting didn't last much longer after that.  Sheba watched as Ila,
speaking for the quorum, thanked the Heimdall for their information; then
announced that the quorum was finished for the time being.  They would
gather again the next day, she stated, to discuss what they would do with
the information already provided.
	"So what do you think?" Sheba asked Athena, leaning back in her chair and
stretching.  "I didn't think that mucHe smiled at her, looking
a little concerned.  "How are you holding up?"
	"Surprisingly well," she replied with a laugh.  "You?"
	His smile grew into an enormous grin.  "Sheba, I'm going to have to
sit you down one day and tell you the story about when I came aboard
the _Pegasus_.  Apollo has a twisted sense of humor, and he'd never
warn me when something would happen.  It's a miracle that I didn't
have a heart attack.  Wouldn't you say so, Poinciana?"
	She looked surprised at being included in the discussion.  "What? 
Oh, right.  I remember you were presented with surprise after surprise."
	"Yup."
	Cassie came back shortly, along with a team of medtechs who began
going to different lifepods to prepare them for the journey down to
the shuttle.  With a few instructions, they transported five lifepods,
including Josce's, down to the landing bays.
	Before long, they were on their way over to the _Pegasus_, and Sheba
found herself getting excited.  How long had she been waiting for
this, to see hh happened."
	The younger woman shrugged.  "I don't know, really.  Apollo and Starbuck
have told me about these meetings, how they can be really short, or centars
long.  This was about half a centar long, so it was probably a decent length."
	The room was emptying, and Sheba looked up to see Cain escorting the
Heimdall out of the room.  He gave her a smile as they walked by.  Ila and
Helen were following, but only the councilor stopped beside her daughter
and Sheba.
	"They're going to escort Reprie and his people to the shuttle," Ila told
them, turning her head to watch the group exit through the door.  With her
head turned to the side, she bore more than a passing resemblance to her
eldest son.  "You two can get a later shuttle.  Josce and Meve are in my
quarters, so we should go get them, and maybe have lunch?"
	"Sounds like an idea to me!" Athena grinned, looking at Sheba.
	When they reached Ila's quarters, they were greeted by two flying bodies
nearly the micron after the door opened.  Atheer father again?  It seemed like forever, but the more
realistic part of her mind told her it had been more than fifteen
yahrens, closer to sixteen.  Too long, either way.
	She'd been crushed when she'd been visited by Adama, Starbuck and
Apollo in the _Galactica_'s Life Center after her father had sent her
there, along with the other wounded, so he could launch his attack on
the three Cylon baseships.  She wasn't in pain anymore, but she was
still tired.  She was determined not to fall asleep, though, as she
waited for word of her father.
	There was something about their expressions that told her that it
wasn't good news.  Apollo and Starbuck moved quietly to her left,
while Adama stood directly before her.  Not sure if she wanted to
know, she asked anyway if there was anything.  But they'd shaken their
heads.  To her surprise, though, Adama literally told her that he
didn't believe for a micron that the Juggernaut was dead, even if it
weren't those exact words.  Apollo and Starbuck had agreedna was engulfed by Meve,
while Sheba found her son wrapping his arms around her tightly.
	"It's about time you got here, Mom!" Josce muttered so only she could
hear.  "It's been almost unbearable!"
	Sheba tried not to smile as she returned his embrace.  "And why's that?"
	Meve let go of Athena to smile at mother and son.  "He's just sore because
I beat him every single time at every single game."
	"Mom, she cheats!" Josce continued, then turned to glare at Meve.  "It's
like Derdre, only ten times worse!"
	"Yeah, well, it doesn't help when you're badmouthing me in all those
languages when you lost!" she shot back.  "First that oinseach, or whatever
it was, and then hikniyt and dummkopf."
	Sheba raised an eyebrow as she eyed her son.  "Oinseach?  Meaning what,
Josce?"
	His face blushed as he looked down, and across the room, Ila cleared her
throat in amusement.  "Why don't we go for lunch.  How does that sound,
Meve and Josce?"
	"Sounds good to me!" the little girl said in a cheerful voice, gla with him,
and, in her heart, she knew that she agreed with them completely.
	And now, she knew that they were all right.  She was going to go see
her father in a few centons; something she'd always expected to do. 
After the shock of seeing Apollo again, the last thing she ever
thought she'd be doing, since she'd believed him dead and gone, Sheba
was ready for anything.
	So she thought.  They arrived on the _Pegasus_, and she recognized
the old battle scars on the hull, along with some new ones that she'd
attained in the yahrens since she'd left.  She listened as Starbuck
explained that the _Pegasus_ was alone at the moment because her fleet
was elsewhere, and while that had her curiosity, it didn't bother her
much.
	Cain was waiting outside in the landing bay, along with several other
warriors.  As they came out with the first of the lifepods, a group of
medtechs rushed up to relieve the warriors of their charge.  Seeing
that Josce hadn't been brought out yet, she took the opportunity to
stncing
over at Josce with a grin and sparkling eyes.  She laughed as he only nodded.
	"You three go on ahead," Sheba told them, her eyes not leaving Josce's
downturned face.  "We'll just stay behind for a few centons.  Josce knows
where to go, right?"
	Ila nodded as she gathered her daughter and Meve out the door.  She looked
down at Josce, as though remembering incidents with a young Apollo, then
nodded.  "All right, we'll see you there."
ep forward toward the assembled warriors.
	"Baby!"  Her father's nickname for her rang out clearly over the
excited murmurs of the warriors.  Some she recognized, others she
didn't.  On a second glance at the crowd, there were two people who
weren't warriors.  One was a child, while the second was an older
woman.  Both were vaguely familiar, but she ignored them as she felt
his arms enclose around her in a comforting embrace.
	"Father..." she murmured against his shoulder, letting him hold her. 
How long had she waited for this?  The strength of her father's hug
seemed to melt the yahrens off her, taking the weariness away. 
Inside, she knew that somehow, things would turn up all right.  With
both Apollo and Cain to help her, things would be definitely all right.
	Starbuck watched with a smile as the father and daughter reunited,
then his attention was attracted down to Meve, who was standing by her
father.  Her blue eyes were wide and staring as she looked at the
woman her father was holding.