THIS OUGHT TO BE DIFFERENT

Chapter Two

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“I’m not sure if you realize the situation,” the blonde hissed with force, stepping so close to the blue-eyed man, that her face hovered above his. “The sun has just gone nova. The only place we are safe, is in the Temple, but we must get there before down, or even faster. The other side of the planet is being burned as we speak, rocks are melting, the atmosphere is being blown out to the vacuum.”

“If that is true, then how will we be safe anywhere on this rock?” he asked. “We’re dead already, there’s nothing we can do!”

“We’ll be safe in the Temple,” she stressed. “Trust me. I know.”

He looked at her, then looked around. And as Starbuck caught a glimpse of his eyes, she saw resignation there.

“You’re not planning of giving up now, are you?” she asked him, and he turned to her, the reflexes of hellish blue light in his pupils making his gaze even more fierce. “Why don’t we just assume she’s right?” Starbuck tried.

The tall blonde saw his hesitation, too, “I don’t have the time to explain the details to you right now! We gotta move!” she shrieked and her voice was terrifying.

For a brief second Starbuck saw the blue-eyed compose himself internally, then he turned to the blonde, “Listen Shelly, or whatever your name is, even if the Temple may provide us shelter – although I don’t see how; you said rocks were melting! – we need to have food, water and medicine. You can turn off your hunger; we cannot.” He breathed heavily in and out a few times. “Now, I’m getting back into the raptor to get one of the algae containers, and you are coming down with me. You two strap his leg,” he motioned toward the semi-conscious Sam, “and give him something for the pain. We’ll get the stretcher.”

He neared the entrance and seeing that Shelly hadn’t moved, glared at her. “I don’t care if the raptor explodes,” he hissed. “I’d rather die in a bang, than of hunger.”

Not waiting any longer he descended through the hatch. Shelly followed him unenthusiastically.

Starbuck, not quite knowing how to take care of the injured, kneeled beside Sam and tried to hold his hand. It turned out to be quite difficult with her own hands bandaged, but his eyes opened and she saw recognition in them. He knew her. And he must have liked her, because he tried to smile in spite of all the pain he was in.

“Your--head--” he tried to speak, but she placed her palm on his lips.

“I’ll be fine,” she whispered.

She looked at the brunette, skillfully wrapping Sam’s injured leg. Starbuck’s first impression had been that the girl would freak out any moment. Now she seemed much more collected and even competent. But then Dee cast a swift glance at the raptor, and Starbuck realized why – it was because of the authority the blue-eyed radiated. His strength made Dee stronger. And – Starbuck had to admit it – it made her stronger, too.

Sam recoiled as Dee unbuckled his pants, slid them down exposing skin on his thigh, and thrust the needle injecting the pain-medicine.

“You’ll be better in a moment,” she told him, though he probably didn’t take notice. Then she looked up at Starbuck. “Your hands don’t hurt?”

Starbuck looked at her palms, surprised. She hadn’t thought about it so far, but no, they didn’t. She shook her head. She wondered if it was the brunette who bandaged them.

Dee stood up and approached the hatch just in time to help Shelly drag out the large and heavy container. Not that her effort changed anything for the unhumanly strong blonde. The blue-eyed climbed out behind them, coughing and favoring his right side. Then he pulled up water bowl and a stretcher.

He stood up and looked at their small group, heavy boxes and a limp form of his colleague. Scratched his chin, concern written all over his face.

“Okay, mister wise guy,” Shelly mocked. “Now how do we take it all? Do you expect me to carry everything?”

“No,” he spat. “Dee, can you lift that?” He pointed at the container.

The petite brunette made a curious face and attempted to move the box a few feet. She succeeded.

“Fine. Kara, you’ll take water, Shelly and I will take Sam. Which way to the Temple?” he turned to the blonde.

“Try here” she pointed her finger at the rocks above them, and moved to place Sam on the stretcher. “And my name is not Shelly. You may call me Six.”

“I don’t care.” He bent to help her. “And I won’t call you a number.” Together they transported Sam, she threw the med-kit across her back, then they lifted the stretcher. The blue-eyed gasped as his breath caught, but regained his balance. He led the way. Starbuck hesitated, but apparently he meant her when he said “Kara”, so she picked the bowl, and followed the rest.

The climb wasn’t easy, and strong chilling wind wasn’t helping much. Starbuck came near Dee.

“Need a hand with that?” she asked seeing as the girl tried to drag it, then push it, then pull.

Dee stopped and shot her a glare. “Well, given that you are our expert on out-of-the-box thinking, maybe you have a better idea how to get this up there?” she scorned, and suddenly Starbuck thought the brunette wasn’t very fond of her. “Meanwhile I’ll do what I can, because apparently Lee thinks you need to be spared or something.”

Starbuck gazed up at their leader and the blonde. The two had just stopped, Lee doubled over. Shelly, or Six, or whatever her name was – was saying something to him, and though they weren’t ahead more than a few meters, the voice died away in the wailing of the wind. Sam started dragging himself to his feet, but the blonde put a hand on his arm and grounded him effectively. He started arguing, but she ignored him and returned to the two women.

Starbuck watched her feet with bewilderment – Shelly was wearing high heels, and walked through the chaotically dispersed rocks on a steep slope, as if it was a cat-walk.

“What?” the woman asked, catching Starbuck’s gaze. “The only shoes in my size they had on the basestar were high heels! You think I like it?” she snorted, trying to restrain her platinum-blonde hair that flailed wildly around her face.

Starbuck said nothing to that, and Shelly came up to Dee. “Give me that,” she wrenched the container from the smaller woman’s grasp. “You go, take care of your husbands!” She turned away and started climbing again.

Starbuck looked up at the two men, suddenly frightened. Your husbands, Shelly said, one of them was her husband! And she wondered which. Trying to cover her uneasiness, she decided to simply follow Dee. So when the brunette stopped near Sam, who was trying to get up, Starbuck strode ahead toward Lee.

“You’re sure you’re up to it?” she heard Dee’s concerned question as the girl helped Sam stand.

“It doesn’t hurt,” he replied weakly, and accepted her arm. When Starbuck passed them – nearing Lee, swallowing hard – Sam whispered, “You sure about that? Guess, she’s stronger, if nothing else--”

Dee replied in a whisper too, “She seems to have a concussion. Probably--” The rest of her words faded away in the wind.

Starbuck stopped next to the blue-eyed. Now she felt guilty of not remembering him. He looked up, and wheezed, “I’m ‘kay”.

She helped him stand straighter, and attempted to support him, while he walked, but he brushed her off.

“Don’t. You have--” he lost breath again.

“A concussion, I know.”

“You shouldn’t strain--” he didn’t finish again, but she understood.

“I won’t,” she promised. And to ease his worry for her, added, “Besides I’m really not feeling bad at all. Other than . . . memory loss that is.”

He nodded, smiling, and gathered his strength, to speak again, “That’s because Dee-- gave you pain meds-- for your hands--” he struggled. Unnecessarily, she’d figured that out already. “If you start getting-- nauseous, or something-- let us know. Okay?”

“Sure,” she confirmed. “You seem pretty banged up, too,” tried to divert his attention.

“I’m fine,” he said again, and fell silent, apparently realizing that talking and walking, while he could barely breathe, was too difficult.

The wind was so strong, Starbuck too had problems taking a breath sometimes, and he was clutching his side, his step uneven. Probably had some broken ribs. He stumbled and leaned on a rock.

“You feel that?” he asked, suddenly alarmed.

“Feel what?” She placed her palm next to his. And even through thick layers of a glove and bandages she felt trembling. Then she felt it under her feet, too. The ground was trembling. Not shaking, rocks weren’t falling, or being rearranged, it was just this constant faint vibration.

She looked at him, at the burning sky . . .

Shelly was up on the top of the slope, she came from behind the rocky formation, her fair hair whirling in the wind, making a bluish halo around her dangerously beautiful face. She held them back, casting her companions a glance then shook her head and walked down with determination.

“I can’t understand why I’m helping you,” she snorted passing Starbuck and Lee.

“I can’t either” Lee breathed out, though she couldn’t hear his whisper. She came to Sam and Dee supporting him, and placed herself under his other arm.

Dee and Sam were an odd couple to Starbuck’s tastes. She was so tiny, and he so tall. But still they looked well together. Sighing she turned back to Lee, who was supposed to be her husband. She wished she remembered anything.

The ground was constantly shuddering while they slowly ascended toward the mysterious Temple.

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t.b.c.