"And fortunately for the families involved, the Cylons were able to contact the trading network," a young woman says as she rearranges the cards in front of her."

"And the Exchange is being brokered by none other than our very own count Baltaar," Boomer looks up from his hand, "My advice Rigel, is that you'd better hold onto your seat-cushion tight before all this is over."

Lieutenant StarBuck takes a fumarillo from his teeth, "And it could be that our metal-coated friends are playing for time. They'll step back, catch their breath, and we'll be right back at it."

 "Well, maybe a break would be good for us too," Morgan puts in.

"We do need to rebuild ourselves," Rigel agrees.

   Lieutenant Starbuck notices that I have taken an interest in the conversation, "Scurridae, more drinks, please."

"On me?' I offer an apology, "I'll have to take it out of my next pay-voucher, but who do I send it to?"

"Address it to: In care of Lieutenant Starbuck, It'll receive special attention," Boomer says knowingly.

The the entire table chuckles. The tension is broken. I promise to remain more attentive to the task at hand.

I am just getting the refreshments set up for the return trip when the hair stands up on the back of my neck. A young lady Warrior is wayching me.

She is of average build, with strawberry-blonde hair running to red. It's not like she is not attractive.

I am surprised that the Warriors are not trying to strike up a conversation with her.

There is an understateed strenght about her. but she picks up her decanter of ambrosia with a light touch. She catches my eye. Embarassed I look down. When I look up, she's gone.

I sigh snd start to porter the tray back to the Pyramid Table. Then a commotion behind me. At first friendly greetings of, "Hey Captain Apollo, Welcome." Then sudden silence.

I turn to see the Captain with his eyes locked on me with a steady glare, "There is a civilian in our Recreation Lounge."

Captain Apollo looks around the entire Lounge, "I don't suppose that anyone here has a logical explanation as to why a civilian is in a restricted area during a mission?" The Silence was deafening. The hair stands up on the back of my neck again. (I shall have very muscular hair before this is all through.)

Then the impasse is broken, "Uh, Captain, Sir," Lt Starbuck is standing.

"What is it?" Captain Apollo asks sternly, "Do you have an explanation for this unregistered civilian?"

"Sure," Starbuck answers simply, "The caterer brought him."

"The caterer brought him?" even Apollo is surprised by the turn of events, "What does a caterer have to do with this?"

Starbuck squares his shoulders as if he is stating the obvious, "Well sir, we are celebrating the Feast of Coriella."

"Feast of Coriella?" Apollo is still recovering.

Boomer stands and sort of pushes Starbuck off to one side,"The Feast of Coriella is celebrated on the second moon of Sagateria when that moon is being eclipsed by the planet. And in keeping with the general fleet policey to honor and respect all creeds and cultures, we are now celebrating the Feast of Coriella."

"And the Porter to serve the Feast is an integral part of the celebration," Starbuck explains, "That's why the caterer brought him."

Apollo eyes the 'feast'suspiciously, "i am aware of the Policey encouraging the respect of all creeds and cultures, even though I beleive the policey is bening stretched quite thin to fit the circumstances," the Captain takes a very tall drinki and seats himself at a table, "Well your Porter had better porter up a sandstorm that would make the very Lords proud..." He didn't need to finish the sentence.

So there I was, portering a feast by myself, while Captain Apollo finished his drink very slowly.

Finally Apollo finished his refreshment and stood up. I thought I'd finally get a break.

"Aren't you forgetting something?" Captain Apollo asks, "Isn't it traditional at Sagitarian Eclipse Festivals for the Porter to clean everyone's footwear of every guest present so that they can symbolically travel down clean pathways?"

My jaw almost drops. I look to Lt Starbuck. He seemingly shrugs. He leaves it to me to call the Captain's bluff.

So of course i ask for a towel and a brush. One is found under the counter. I seat myself in the middle of the floor. The Warriors' boots are lined up in front of me. and so I clean.

Captain Apollo has another drink drawn and sits to watch that all the boots are cleaned. Apollo drinks very slowly.

And so I clean boots. And clean. And just as my arm is about to fall off, the last boot is done.

The Captain walks over and along the boots to give them a visual inspection. Fortunately for me, they must have been at least satisfactorilly done.

The Captain turns to face us, definitley in a better mood, "Well gentlemen, I see that this is an honest attempt to honor the Feast of Coriella. so you may proceed as before. But promise me this much; before you embark on one of these cultural enrichment exercuses, next time; please register the Porter."

"Fair enough," Starbuck agrees.

As I painfully rub my shoulder, a question starts to form in my mind of would the Captain really be in the Rec Lounge having Libation, while on duty. But before I can finish the thought, my mind is pulled back to matters at hand.