Disclaimer: I do not own most of these characters, wish I did though.


This is a prequel to "You were mine" if you havcen't read "You were mine" 
this story won't make much sense to you.



A simple twist of fate
       by Cassie Kirk



     Ila looked in the mirror as she applied the finishing touches to her 
makeup.  Her roommate, Toshala, sat on the bed watching her.
     "Who are you going out with tonight?"  Toshala asked.
     "I'm the 'entertainment' for a party some guys are throwing for a 
friend of theirs who was just promoted to Commander.  Major Tigh asked me.  
What are your plans?" Ila asked.
     "Sounds like fun. I'm seeing Lieutenant Baurun tonight."
     Ila frowned.  "Tosh, I wish you wouldn't go out with him.  You know 
what he's like."
     "He's my highest paying client.  I'm not about to turn him away."
     Ila turned.  "Tosh!  Any amount of money is not worth what he puts you 
through.  One of these days you're going to end up in the Med Center with a 
broken bone or worse."
     Toshala shrugged.  "It's a living."
     "You don't really believe that, do you?"
     "Ila, I'm terrified of him.  I'm more afraid of what he'll do to me if 
I refuse him than what he does when I'm willing."
     "Toshala!  There are laws to protect you from that kind of abuse.  They 
were created because of men like him."
     "You should go or you'll be late."  Toshala changed the subject.
     "I don't think those men will mind if I'm late.  I want to make sure 
you're safe before I leave."
     Toshala stood up and walked over to Ila.  "I'll be fine.  I can take 
care of myself."
Ila looked up at her.  "You don't have to go with him.  You could come with 
me to the party.  I'm positive no one would mind."
     "That sounds very tempting.  But no, Baurun was extremely angry once 
when I was only five centons late.  I hate to think about what he'd do if I 
canceled."
     "That is exactly what I'm talking about!  You deserve better than to be 
treated like that."
     "So do you.  And so does Ceres, Wynee, Iris, and all the rest of us."
     Ila sighed.  "Please come with me, Tosh."
     "I can't.  And you need to go."
     Ila stood up.  "I still hate to leave you."
     "How about this, you leave the name and number of the place you'll be 
at and if there are any problems, I'll call you, " Toshala proposed.
     "I still don't like it, but I suppose it'll have to do.  Hand me the 
pad and stylus that are on the dresser."
     Toshala gave Ila the pad and stylus and she quickly wrote down the 
information.
     "Remember to call me if you have any problems," Ila reminded.
     "I will, " Toshala promised.  "Now, you'd better go."
     "Be careful.  I'll see you in the morning."  Ila stood and embraced her 
friend.
     "I will.  You have fun at the party."

********
   Ila smoothed the skirt of her dress nervously as she stood in front of 
the door to the private room in the restaurant. She had done this several 
times already, but she was still a little nervous at being the only woman in 
a large group of men. She raised her hand to knock on the door, but was 
startled when she felt a tap on her shoulder.
     She whirled around and came face to face with Major Tigh.
     "Tigh!" Ila threw her arms around him in greeting. "How are you? How is 
Mitena?"
     "We're both doing well. Thank you for asking," Tigh replied, returning 
the hug.
     "I was so surprised when you called me. You must have guessed what I 
was thinking."
     "I know. I'm sorry I shocked you like that. It's just that some of the 
guys wanted a Socialator for Cain's party, and I thought of you."
     Ila smiled. "I got over it once I realized you wanted me to 'entertain' 
some of your friends at this party."
     Tigh laughed. "Thank you for doing this." He sobered. "I never thanked 
you for…"
     Ila interrupted, "Don't. Please, don't." Ila's eyes welled up with 
tears. "Don't thank me.  But, I didn't do anything. Not really," she ended 
on a whisper.
     "It wasn't nothing. And you know it."
     Ila turned away. "There are so many things about that night I'd like to 
forget. If I remember the good, I have to remember the bad as well."
     Tigh pulled her toward him. Ila rested her head on Tigh's shoulder and 
he felt her hot tears on his neck.
     "You know I'd erase those bad memories from you if I could."
     Ila sniffed. "I know." She reached up and kissed his cheek. "Mitena is 
lucky to have a husband like you. I only hope that I'm that lucky someday."
     Tigh looked down at Ila and wiped her tears away. "Who knows, maybe 
your future husband is waiting for you behind that door."
     Ila laughed mirthlessly. "Yeah, right. I'm going to waltz in there and 
dazzle the men with my beauty and then the most handsome one of all is going 
to sweep me off my feet and fly me away in his Viper. Nice thought, Tigh, 
but that only happens in children's storybooks."
     Tigh smiled. "You never know. In fact, if I didn't think Mitena would 
kill me for taking a second wife, I'd propose to you."
     Ila laughed, a clear tinkling sound that was music to Tigh's ears. 
"And, if I didn't think Mitena would kill me for being that second wife, I'd 
accept."