"So, what was it you wanted to talk about, son?" Adama leaned back in his comfortable chair. Across the den from him, Apollo perched on the couch, with his ever-present shadow Starbuck beside him.

"It's about Starbuck, sir."

"Why doesn't that surprise me?" Adama sighed. "What is it now? I'm assuming you haven't done anything else you want to confess before your mother or Athena discover it?"

Both boys flushed bright red and squirmed. "No, sir," Apollo muttered. Starbuck may never have had a family before, but he was sure learning the fine art of tormenting a younger sister very well indeed. He took a deep breath. "We want you to sponsor Starbuck into the Academy," he said, all in a rush.

"What!" Adama sat upright in shock. "I can't-"

"He took the test already, see, he did real well-" Apollo nudged Starbuck, who nervously got up and took Adama the printout of his test results... along with the acceptance letter, inviting him to continue the admission process. Adama looked over the papers, making approving sounds.

"You did very well, Starbuck, I'll give you that. But I can't sponsor you into the Academy."

"Father!" Apollo's outraged cry drowned out Starbuck's resigned sigh. He'd told Apollo this would happen, told him again and again... "What do you mean, you can't? All you need to do is sign the papers, and Starbuck's in!"

"Apollo," Adama said gently, "you're overlooking something."

"No I'm not! I know how the admissions procedure works! Apply, take the test, get a sponsor, enter the Academy."

"But I can't just sponsor anybody, no matter how impressive their test scores." Adama looked anywhere but at the two boys- his own son, furious and uncomprehending, or worse yet, his son's friend, utterly crushed and trying to hide it.

"Why not! You've sponsored other people before, I know you have. Why not Starbuck?"

"Apollo, there's something different about your friend that wasn't an issue with the others. Legally, he's still a ward of the state. I can't do anything. In fact, legally, I shouldn't even allow him to stay here. He's a runaway, Apollo." Adama looked at Starbuck then. "And Starbuck- I'm sorry. I'm very sorry I can't do anything to help you out. The only thing I can do is what I have done- let you stay here and not tell the authorities where you are. I did some checking into the orphanage and the foster care program, and I honestly believe anything is better than returning you there."

"Thank you, sir." Starbuck hid his disappointment well. He rose, back straight and head high. "I understand, and thank you for not reporting me." He left the room.

"Father..." Apollo couldn't give up so easily. "Why? Can't you do something about the rules? And what's so bad about the orphanage?"

"If Starbuck hasn't told you, then I won't tell you either. All I will say is that unpleasant things occur there, things which I can do nothing about because none of it is truly illegal. Morally reprehensible, yes, and an outrage against the children forced to endure the situation, but still legal."

"But can't you make them take Starbuck? He wants to be a pilot so bad... and you saw, he did worlds better on his reaction tests than I did, he'd be a hell of a good pilot..."

"Don't swear," Adama said automatically. "Yes, I agree, he would make a good pilot. But even I can't get around the rules of the Fleet. I promise you, if there were a way I could do so, then I would sponsor Starbuck. Someone as good as he is deserves the chance to be the best he can be."

"Yeah, right," Apollo muttered, in a voice thick with resentment. "Whatever." He rose and left, in search of Starbuck.

 

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