Second Elegy, Second Verse
Burden of Responsibility

Day 60 : 20 Septimus 6490
Storeroom, Battlestar Galactica

"Boomer said I might find you in here."

Starbuck leaned back against the storeroom wall. "Boomer knows my hiding places. Not all of them, but he can usually find me when he needs to."

Apollo sat down beside him, shoulder to shoulder. "Boomer says that this is where you hide when you want to be found."

Starbuck's mouth twisted. "Boomer says altogether too much."

"But is he right?"

"This is where I come to think."

"About being my wingman?"

"Among other things. It's a nice quiet place. It's a good place to get everything back into perspective."

"I remember this storeroom," said Apollo. "This is where – "

"Yeah. That's why I come here. To be found, apparently."

"Or lost."

Starbuck shook his head. "Too deep for me, Apollo."

"Is it? Did you want to be found?"

Starbuck shrugged.

"I'm being selfish, maybe," said Apollo. "But I want you as my wingman, Starbuck."

"Why?"

"I trust you. You're the best pilot on this ship. If I'm looking after the other hundred and fifty in a fight, I want the best looking after me."

"And that's it?"

"No. When Boomer takes over the squadron, I'll be working across all the shifts. That's what I meant about being selfish. You'll be working the same pattern I am. With me."

Starbuck pursed his lips. "But I know you, Apollo. You're not offering to break the rules."

"No."

"No." He managed a grin. "Just putting temptation my way."

"Maybe in my way," said Apollo, with a painful honesty. He sighed. "I can't stay long. The Commander wants to see me."

"About this?"

"Probably. He didn't look too pleased when I told him and Colonel Tigh at the Command meeting this morning. I think I'm about to get a full blown parental inquisition into my reasoning for appointing you. He'd like more distance between you and me. He thinks I'm making things harder on myself, us being friends."

"Not to mention harder on me."

"It's best not to mention you, where he's concerned," said Apollo, and it dragged a reluctant smile out of Starbuck. "Will you do it, Starbuck?"

"Well," said Starbuck, slowly. "To be honest, I'd have been mad as Hades if you'd chosen anyone else. I trust me to look after you, too. I don't know that I'd trust anyone else."

"I know I wouldn't." Apollo leaned his head back against the wall. "We're doing all right."

"Yeah."

"We'll be all right."

"Yeah." Starbuck took a deep breath against the sudden rush of feeling that he was learning to tamp down. He felt almost – happy. That was it. Happy. Because Apollo was here and alive and sitting with him, shoulder to shoulder, and they were friends and Apollo wasn't going to marry Rosie. It felt good. Even the longing felt good. "Yeah," he said, with more force. "We will."




Sixty days down.