AFTERMATH : THE JOURNEY BEGINS

          They met Starbuck and Boomer outside the entrance to...whatever this was.  Entering through the tunnel, they were met with loud music, talking, laughing, happily screaming people when someone won at one of the many games that the room offered.

          "WHAT the HELL?"  Harry gasped as they looked around the room.  "There was nothing in any of the reports about this being here."

          "And for Starbuck to not know this place existed," Boomer told them as they watched Starbuck begin to slowly thread his way through the room.  "He openly admits he knows every gambling Hell or Den, the legal as well as the Illegal, yet he had never heard of this place."

          "Dad wants us to look around, talk to the owners about getting supplies for the fleet,"  Roark told him, slipping his comlink back into his belt to see Harry and Rabastan moving off into the room together, stopping to talk to a couple who had just left one of the tables with a bowl of gold and silver cubits.

          "These people act like they haven't even HEARD what happened to the Colonies," Rodolphus growled in a deep voice as he looked around.

          "That's because they haven't," Starbuck said as he returned.  "The few that I've talked to have been here for a couple of sectars. The young woman we first ran into?"  At their nod to continue, "When we asked, she said her travel agent arranged all of this for her.  She was a Tauran."

          "And she just...What?  Decided she didn't want to leave?"

          "According to her, Lt. Colonel, the owners offer permanent living quarters should the visiting guests decide to stay on.  They have everything they want, or could need here."

          Shaking his head in disbelief.  "Take a look around...join in on a game or two if that is what you want, but find out what you can on who owns this place."

          Starbuck nodded, turned, and threaded his way through the club.  Roark looked up at his husband and arched a brow.  "Did you really just authorize him to gamble?"

          Rodolphus chuckled.  "I did.  He'll get the information we need much quicker if he plays a game or two," he lay a hand on the small of his back and felt the handle of the blade he wore there.  "Come on, let's look around."

                                                                            cccVccc

          "Uri has done WHAT?!" came the shouted demand to those who had gathered in his office for the meeting.

          "He's gone and authorized nearly a quarter of our people to go planetside to enjoy the accommodations the Ovions are offering,"  Raphael answered calmly in the face of his father's anger.

          "And unfortunately it isn't stopping there.  Dumbledore and Vintari are doing the same."  Gabriel spoke up from the leather chair he sat in.  "They've got our people breaking down the balk heads to get to shuttles and go down to the planet."

          "'A little fun and relaxation are just what they need to help them forget the horror of the Cylon ambush, and being cooped up in ships that are filled to capacity at best, and at worst, over-crowded, is not a good way for our people to feel better."

          Roark Sr. ran a hand through his hair.  "Fools," he muttered, "all three of them are fools.  I told them in small groups.  A few centars each."

          "Not going to happen," Rodolphus told him as he moved to take a seat on the corner of his desk, arms coming up to cross over his chest, "not now at any rate.  Some of our warriors are even asking for time to go down."

          "Are you giving it?"

          A shrug.  "If they're off duty, and have some time to use personal wise, I don't see why they shouldn't.  I have, however, made it very clear that no more than four at a time may go.  We cannot...WILL NOT leave the fleet undefended because all of our viper pilots happened to be planet side."

          "At least someone has some sense," came the sigh.  "Where, by the way, is Roark?"

         "Off duty.  He and Harry decided to do some work in the Hydroponics Garden, then they were planning to cook us dinner, so I SUGGEST..." he looked around the room, arching a brow. "You all be free.  He has also invited his grandparents.  OH!  That reminds me.  Anything on Sirius and Remus yet?"

          "Yes, as a matter of fact.  They're on a freighter out of Aquaria."

          "And they waited so long to get in contact...because?" came the question.  "Surely they had to know Harry and Roark would be worried sick?"

          "They were looking into where Evan Rosier may have gone."

          "Evan Rosier?"  Rodolphus frowned.  "That name...it's familiar."

          "I should say so.  He was President Adar's youngest son.  He is, according to Roark, also Tatiana's uncle."

          "You're frowning Dolph."  Raphael got to his feet.  "What is it?"

          "He worked for Riddle in some capacity, though I never could figure out where, let alone how.  His name came up in meetings several times, but Riddle, when it came to those in his Inner Circle, would never tell us, OR anyone, about them.  He kept the identities of his Inner Circle a closely guarded secret."

         "You think he was Inner Circle?"

        He shrugged.  "When do they get back?  I need to talk to them."

          "They're coming in tonight."