• "Hey Cas wait up." I call as I see here leaving the lunch deck. She stops and turns. For a moment I don't think that she can see me, but then her face lights up with a smile.

    "For a moment there I thought that you were Elly came to harras me again. She wouldn't stop the while i grabbed a bite to eat." Cas looked so sad. "she actually said that she didn't know that my type had time to eat between jobs."

    "Oh sweetie, do you want me to go back in there and sort her out." The gleeful look on my face was enough to make her laugh.

    "Not this time Anne. Although the next time she starts I might give you free reign. I know that it would give some of my cliental a good laugh." With a quick hug she added. "I'm so glad that you took the job here, I don't know what I ever would have done without you abored."

    "Well don't thank me. I wouldn't have taken the job if it wasn't for that damn fine looking Mechanical Engineer you have. Give me a piece of that and I will be one very happy woman."

    Together we headed down the towards the crew quarters. "You know, you really should join me for dinner tonight. Before you say no Nolan has the night shift cause Ian is sick, so it would just be you and me. No men to interupt the girl talk."

    "Oh Anne I'd love to it's been ages since we had more than just a few spare moments to just chat. I even have a couple of new movies if your interested."

    "Sounds good to me."

    "But I have an appointment at 4 and it doesn't finish until 6:30"

    "I can wait to have dinner and you just had a late lunch so it should be fine, plus I wouldn't want to deprive the Captin of his favorite companion." We both burst out laughing knowing that the Captin was one of her few customers aboard ship.


    "Look Anne more fly boys have arrived. Didn't we just get rid of these guys last week. They never give me a moments peace, and most of them don't understand the meaning of the word NO. It may be what I do for a living but i have a right to refuse my services to anyone. It really ticks me off."

    "I know but what can you do. They need somewhere to repair the flighters, plus grab a lift or even some shut eye. Remember I know the life." Knowing that she wasn't going to stop and show them to their rooms, as is custom of the Lady Of The Ship, we kept walking. It wasn't until we were closer and heard snippits of their coversation that she really started to get angry.

    "Hey Titan, isn't that the lady of the ship over there with the hottie."He jabbed his mate hoping for an answer, receiving none he continued. "Hey maybe i should scan them and find out." Lifting his wrist he looked at the screen. "Oh man you gotta check out this scan on that pair of hotties." Quickly linking arms with Cas i tapped one of the buttons on my wrist gadget. As the men leaned in to see the results of the scan it changed.

    "How can this be. Have you ever seen a gadget play up like this." Turning to the officer in charge. "Hey Boag. What's going on with. My gadget is playing up."

    "You idiot Sloan. One of those birds has a scanner."

    "Cas did that guy just say 'Boag'?" Looking over I noticed that all eyes were on Cas and I. Taking a better look at them pilots I realise that one of them is Boag. "Sweetie, I'm gonna head over there. I'll see you at 7 for dinner." With a quick embrace we parted ways and headed over to see how many pilots we were stuck with.


    Walking over to the group i could here more than a few crude comments, and recieved more than a few long stares. "Well hello boys. I'm going to show you to some quarters that you can use during your stay here. I must ask that you keep all questions to a minimal, is that clear." After recieving a few nods. "Right now that we've got that sorted. Who's in charge and how many more of you are yet to make it up from the docking bay?"

    "Well miss this is all of us, and that there fellow is in charge." Pointing out the tallest in the group. "His name is Boag. Maybe you've heard of him, his very well kn....."

    "Sloan how many times must we go through this." The man said turning on his companion. "Next time you'll face me in the ring. Understood?"

    My giggles drew a confused look from poor Sloan. "Don't worry Sloan I'm sure his more bark than bite anyway." This remark cost me a pinch on the backside. "Hey, that was uncalled for. Now what on earth did I do to deserve that?"

    "I wont have you undermining my command."

    "Well what are you going to do about it. I can tell you, nothing because i will always out rank you Boag. No matter what." Stunned gasps and a few stammered comments break forth from the other pilots, as their commanding officer laughs.

    "Fine if you want to laugh at me you can just stand here until some poor soul takes pity on you and show you to your assigned quarters." With this I turned to leave. I only got to take 2 steps before an arm snaked around my waist and pulled me hard up againts Boag's chest.

    "You're not going anywhere you little minx." Turning back to his squad. "This boys is Anne. She use to be one of us. Now she works on this ship." Turning back to me. "First your going to show us to our rooms, then your going to sit with me while I have lunch."

    "Who says that I hve to do what you tell me. I have alot of pull on this ship. Plus, what would your father have to say about this Ryan? I still know how to get hold of him."

    "Who said that I was going to put you down and give you an option?" He moved towards the lunch deck. "You boys coming, or are you all just going to stand around all day."

    "Ryan you just wait I will have my revenge."

    "Yeah but not until I let you go." He laughed

    "Fine I'll do ask, just put me down and let me walk. I do have some pride you know. Even if you don't think so." Realising that I wasn't going to get my way. "Ok, fine. Head for the lift over there. We have to go to the 7th level." Hanging my head in defeat I notice that I am being turned within Boag's arms to face him.

    "Thank you Mistress Butterfly." Gasps went up around us.

    "Why?" Was all that I could say.

    "Because you still out rank me, you little minx." With this he kissed me. It was a long soul searing kiss. I was so stunned that I didn't know what to do. When he stopped, again all i could say was "Why?"

    "I've wanted to do that for years I just never had the courage. I would do more if you let me. I'd love you until I nothing left, if only you would let me."

    "Why now Boag. Why not before I met him." I wiped my lips with the back of my hand. "He means the world to me. I wouldn't jeperdise that for the world. Do you understand that, not you or anybodyelse." With tears rolling down my cheeks I slapped him. "Never touch me that way again, or you won't live to regret it. As the weapons master here I sure i can see that through." Pausing to ragain myself. "Now put me down."

    "Anne, I'm sorry. I've bottled this up for so long. I fell in love with you the day you started at the academy. You became a woman to me than. We've know each other since we were kids, I thought that you would have known."

    "I did know that's why when I got married we left you off the guest list. We didn't want to rub the whole thing in your face. I'm sorry that I couldn't spare you this heart ache."

    "One last kiss and I'll leave it alone. Please."

    "Never. I can't betray my man like that. I love him."

    "Fine." With that he put me in my feet. "If you ever change your mind you know how to find me."

    "I do and I won't." With tears rolling down my face I turned to the doors unable to face the men in the lift with me.

    Just as the doors slid open he pulled me into his arms and kissed me again. It was like he was trying to kiss me into submission. The harder I treid to pull away the tighter his arms became. After what seemed like a eternity he let me go. I turned and ran out the lift doors, only to run straight into my Husband, Nolan. He caught me so I wouldn't fall.

    "Anne how could you. Don't you love me?"

    "Oh Nolan. I love you more than life itself. You're my everything you know that."

    "Then why on earth were you kissing him? Why, god damn it?"

    "He kissed me, I would never betray you like that. I love you." After watching him walk away from me I turned to Boag. "Meet me in the trainging room on deck 13 in an hour. It's a fight to the death, so enjoy your lunch it will be your last meal."