Mikriski Desert 1800 hrs.

Military Base: Mikos

Base Refectory

"Merit talked to me today."

"Man that's awesome, when's the wedding?"

"She told me my flight suit wasn't done up properly."

Bay scoffed into his chocolate bar, "Benji, that's like being told your fly is open. I'm suffering second-hand embarrassment here."

"She smiled when she said it. I think we have a connection."

Bay grinned at his roommate. It had been three weeks since Benji had started on the covert ops and he had been pining after Merit Cooper since day one.

Ah well, a boy's gotta have dreams. Bay's dreams just happened to involve a certain aircraft, tight sharp lines, perfect body. Don't judge, a machine can't break your heart and leave you in the dust piecing up the pieces. Okay, maybe a machine had a bigger chance of actually physically breaking you than a human romantic interest but….

"But I think she might like Brent...or Luca! Do you think she likes Luca?" Benji looked crestfallen.

"Dude. No one likes Luca," Bay scoffed.

This was another certainty that had been established over the last three weeks. Luca Jeong, the man who could dead-lift a 315 kg weight for multiple reps with that tightly packed muscular frame of his, but struggled to lift the corners of his mouth in a smile.

Sure, Luca Jeong was pretty and all the women (and certain men) over Base had taken to shamelessly staring at his ass...Bay only noticed because he happened to be walking behind him at the time, not because he too was shamelessly staring at said ass, obviously.

Luca had also become, if possible, even more surly as the weeks had gone on. Bay reckoned he was overdoing it, always volunteering for missions and taking the aircraft up by himself for test flights on a nightly basis. All that Nectar and mind control couldn't be good for a guy.

The known side-effect of nausea had really been hitting all four of the pilots hard recently. Brent's trademark evil smirk was looking pretty shaky and even Benji had spent the previous night with his head down the toilet.

"And as for her liking Brent, c'mon Benji, the girl can identify and use about four thousand different weapons, she gives the impression of being cool, so I'm pretty sure she has better taste than that."

Benji moaned and put his head on the table.

"Looking hot, Smith," Toby came up behind them and set his tray down. He was accompanied by Sydney, who, much to Bay's extreme annoyance was accompanied by Brent, although the shade of vomit-green that Brent seemed to currently be did alleviate that annoyance somewhat.

"Brent's feeling pretty shaky," Sydney explained in a comforting voice as she looked around the table, casting a warning glare in Bay’s direction.

"Perhaps he should go back to his room then?" Bay suggested helpfully but it was met with a withering stare from Sydney.

"No, then he'll become like Luca," Sydney retorted.

"What's wrong with Luca?" Benji asked, raising his head up, "Is he sick too?"

"I presume so, seeing as he's stopped coming to the refectory for the last few days, I can't imagine what he's eating," Sydney replied who then, honest to god, started cutting up Brent's chicken for him. Okay, Bay was starting to feel sick now.

"I'm done, catch you guys later," Bay announced getting up and walking over to slide his tray into the collection shelves. Before he left, he doubled back and ordered a burger and an apple to go.

*

Bay stood in front of the door, it was a single occupancy room, so at least it was only one person he could make a fool out of himself in front of. However that person was Luca Jeong.

Bay sighed and knocked on the door. It opened almost immediately, causing Bay to jump backwards.

"Woah hey there Luca!"

Did I just address my captain like a jockey would a racehorse?

Luca looked blank for a moment, then his features creased into a frown as he appeared to process that his systems officer was currently standing outside his bedroom grinning like a madman.

"Bay."

"I er...brought you some dinner. Sydney said you'd been skipping meals and..."

Okay, now I sound like his mother.

"Well, I thought maybe you could do with some sustenance even if you're not feeling too great, sorry they didn't have any soup."

Bay glanced up hopefully. Luca really wasn't looking too good, his skin was slightly sallow and there were dark shadows under his eyes.

"Did you...did you go up again today Luca?" Bay frowned.

"Yes. I want to get more practice with the thought control function," Luca shrugged.

Bay sucked air in through his teeth, "Well you know dude, it looks like maybe you need a break from the Vulcan mind tricks."

Luca raised an eyebrow at him.

"So...burger?" Bay brandished the foam box in front of the other man with the apple balanced on top.

Luca's mouth twitched and he reached for the box.

"Thank you Bay."

Luca had closed the door again before Bay could even finish replying with, "You're welcome!"