"What is bothering you, young one?" The aged form of Mother Raya, matriarch of the clan, settled to the cushions beside Starbuck. He blinked at her with bleary eyes.

"Nothin'. Why you ask?"

"Don't give me that, boy." She made an impatient sweeping gesture with one hand. "Your misery has made it impossible for me to get anything done all day. I have the Sight, you know."

"The Sight? Wha's that?" Starbuck took another swig from his bottle. Good stuff, that gypsy wine...

"I can see into the hearts of men. I can feel your pain beating at me, now would you just tell me what is the cause?"

Starbuck winced. "Apollo."

"Your friend? What is it he's done to put you into this state?"

"He..." Starbuck took another long pull at the bottle. "He kissed me."

"That's it?" The disbelief in her voice prompted him to look at her, but he quickly returned his attention to the bottle when her image wavered and threatened to split into several.

"Tha's it- he kissed me. An' I just don' know what to do."

"Why not?"

"'cause he's Pol, he's my friend, he's not s'pposed to kiss me."

"Does it scare you to think what Ellie said might be true?"

Starbuck dropped the bottle. He dove after it clumsily, feeling like his limbs were made of jello. The gypsies made a potent brew, enough to distance one from any pain. He caught the bottle again and scrambled back onto the cushions beside Mother Raya.

"How did you know that?"

"I told you, I have the Sight. Does it scare you?"

"Yes. Yes, dammit! He's a man. I'm a man. He shouldn't- I shouldn't-"

"Tell me why that makes a difference."

"It just... does!" Starbuck looked at the bottle, then set it aside with care. If he expected to serve his duty shift training those clods, he'd better stop drinking.

"You think that there's something wrong with having a relationship with a man?" Mother Raya pressed on inexorably.

"Well, no- not really. For other people, anyway. Not me."

"And why not you?"

"Because... well, just because. It's gross." His lips remembered the kiss again. Well, maybe not gross, but just... not right.

"How so?"

He squirmed in acute discomfort. "Look, I don' want to talk 'bout it..."

"But you need to. You need to figure out how things stand between the two of you. There is more at stake here than just your friendship- all of humanity is depending upon you and Apollo." The ancient eyes bored into him, not letting him escape. "You two are the only ones left alive with the knowledge and ability to keep us all alive, to allow us the hope of revenge. If you can no longer work together, if you let this one kiss ruin your friendship..."

Starbuck's eyes widened in horror. "No! He's too... important..." His voice trailed off thoughtfully as he realized what he had just said. "He's too important to me."

"Then see that you remember that. Just because your friend finds you attractive does not mean the end of the world." She smiled at her own blunder. "Nah- it takes a poor second place behind the Cylons."

Starbuck grinned weakly.

"Remember that. He is still your friend. Do not hurt him, or yourself, with your fool prejudices." She rose with a grace that belied her years. "And don't keep me awake with your inner turmoil, boy! You may be young yet, but I need my sleep."

Starbuck gazed after her. deep in thought, as Mother Raya made her way back to her private quarters.

Apollo stared at Starbuck as he entered the office with great care. "What happened to you?"

Starbuck winced. "Gypsy wine," he said, his ashen face bearing a slight greenish hue.

"Brilliant, just brilliant." Apollo tried to glare, but the corners of his mouth betrayed him- they kept twitching.

"I know. I... owe you an apology, Pol." Starbuck leaned against the doorframe for support. "I- overreacted badly the other day. I'm sorry."

Apollo couldn't hide his relief. "Then we're still friends?" A great weight lifted from his heart, and a silly grin spread across his face of its own accord.

"Of course, Pol. You are way too important to me to let one little kiss ruin our friendship."

"Thank you," Apollo said softly. He stared at his friend for a moment, fighting to control the overwhelming rush of relief. "I won't let it happen again. Now, today we have to..."

As Apollo outlined the day's tasks, he was aware of a subtle difference in Starbuck's attitude towards him, but ignored it in favor of having his friend back by his side. The past day and a half had been terrible, with the worry of not knowing what would happen a constant companion. He'd nearly convinced himself that Starbuck would never want to speak to him again.

"All right, folks." Apollo surveyed the crowd gathered before him on the hangar floor. "Today we're doing something a little different. This won't be a simulator exercise. Today we are taking the Patrolstar out for a short flight, just so you can get the feel of her. Everyone know their stations and duties?"

Excited nods met his questioning gaze.

"Good. Then get to your stations."

The trainees scattered. There were just barely enough of them to make up a skeleton crew for the deadly craft. Apollo wished futilely for more, but he was grateful that there were as many volunteers as there were. Not everyone wanted to fly, or to fight- although there were very few people who had no desire to fight the Cylons. Even the gentlest, most peace-loving old granny would take them on bare-handed.

Apollo tapped his comlink. "Ready, Captain?"

"Ready, Major!" Starbuck was staying on the ground this time, coaching the new support crew through their jobs.

"Okay then, here goes nothing..." Apollo strode up the ramp into the patrolstar. He made a quick circuit of the ship, checking to ensure all essential stations were manned. His recruits stood ready to do their jobs, with expressions varying from nervous to ecstatic.

Apollo finished his rounds on the bridge. He took the command seat and turned on the ship-wide communicator. "All hands prepare for lift-off. Half power to main engines. Hold auxiliary engines on standby."

The quiet hum of the main engines could be felt throughout the entire ship. It worked its way into Apollo's very bones, and he smiled. Lords, it was good to be in command of a ship again! Even with a crew of civilians.

"Um, all systems showing green, Apollo sir." The youngster's voice shook with nerves. Apollo felt again a twinge of doubt at having a teenager at the helm, but reminded himself again that the boy showed much promise in the simulator runs.

"Control, this is Patrolstar One requesting clearance."

"Affirmative, Patrolstar One. You are clear for takeoff."

Apollo smiled again at the confident sound of the old voice. There was one person who was simply ecstatic at a chance to perform this duty- old Hervis had only retired from his position as Control Officer because he had been forced to.

"Take her out, helmsman," he said encouragingly. The boy, whose name was Jedran, gulped, then eased the throttle forward while engaging the hover thrusters. Patrolstar One lifted and began to drift forward with ponderous grace.

"Let her have a bit more thrust, helm," Apollo said, feeling how sluggish the takeoff was. Jedran moved the control forward and the craft lurched. "Not quite so hard next time- those controls are sensitive. Remember, they will respond to the slightest movement of your hand."

"Yes, sir."

Apollo clicked on the shipwide comm again. "All stations, report."

He listened to the reports come back in, all positive. What was interesting was the variation in the voices- very few were cool and confident. These civilians had a long way to go before attacking the Cylons.

"Reports received and acknowledged. Set course bearing zero one zero mark seven. Proceed at one quarter flight speed."

Patrolstar One began to make a slow, graceful circle out above the plain beyond the mountains. Apollo tested her paces as thoroughly as he dared, giving everyone on the crew desperately needed experience. When he at last directed Jedran to bring her in for a landing, Apollo was confident of his thrown-together crew's ability to survive an extended flight.

As the craft settled to the deck of the hangar, Apollo's eyes automatically sought out Starbuck. He found his friend grinning broadly at him through the glass separating Control from the flight deck. He raised a hand in acknowledgment and recieved a thumbs-up in return.

"Let this be a night for great rejoicing!" Apollo said with a grin, then knocked back a good portion of his beer. As a result of Starbuck's initial unauthorized flight of two weeks ago, the newly named Futurity Base held a complement of nearly three hundred survivors. Some had refused to leave their homes when Patrolstar One had made an appearance, taking her first real flight with the novice crew, but many had boarded gladly. There were even a few survivors with military experience, a thing which relieved Apollo immensely. Eagerness was no match for knowledge and experience, in his book. An enterpising soul had set up a cantina in one of the storage rooms and thrown a party for the entire base.

"Most definitely, Pol." Starbuck grinned hugely. He was ready for any excuse to celebrate and relieve the tedium of life here. Well, not exactly tedium- everyone was rushing madly about with a great sense of purpose all the time, but it was all so distressingly predictable. He was trapped into training raw recruits and volunteers in the ways of flight and support crewing, and it was severely frustrating. Back in the days before the Second Destruction, he had been an instructor to the best of the best- the cadets who had qualified for Viper training. To be stuck working with ignorant civilians was putting a severe strain on his patience- not that he'd had that much patience to begin with.

"It's about time somebody gave us an excuse to be cheerful around here." Apollo drank again, then surveyed the crowd. His original group mingled freely with the newcomers, talking and laughing.

"You only say that because you've been overworking yourself again," Starbuck accused, with a twinkle in his eyes. "Everyone else finds a way to have a good time when they're off duty."

"Everyone but boring old Apollo, I know."

"Not boring!" Starbuck protested, laughing. "Just- overly dedicated."

Apollo noted that the look was back in his friend's eyes. It had first appeared nearly a week ago, fleeting and speculative. Since then, the look had appeared at random intervals, although never this openly. "Boring," he said firmly, as an experiment.

"I never find you boring, Pol." Starbuck gazed into his eyes earnestly. "If I did, I wouldn't have been with you all these years." He reached out and covered Apollo's hand with his own, giving it a slight squeeze.

Apollo smiled with satisfaction. Gotcha, Star, he thought. "Good," he said aloud.

Starbuck scooted his chair around the tiny round table, closer to Apollo, and dropped his voice. "More like... interesting, fascinating..." He squeezed Apollo's hand.

"Why Captain Starbuck," Apollo said with a smile, "if I didn't know any better, I'd think you were flirting with me." He held his breath.

"Why Major Apollo," Starbuck mimicked, "if I didn't know any beter, I'd say you were right."

Apollo forced himself to resume breathing. A wide grin spread across his face, out of control. "Good thing I know better, then- can't have that, you know."

"Oh? And why not?" Starbuck tensed beside him.

"Just think what it would do for your image as a ladies' man," Apollo teased gently, feeling the tension drain from Starbuck again.

"My reputation's been shot all to hell anyways- remember? Ellie did that."

"Yes, Starbuck-the-Faithful was a difficult concept for people to accept."

"Well, even I can remain faithful when someone's important enough to me." Starbuck looked away with deliberate casualness and reached for his mug.

Apollo felt a cold spot where his hand had been. He wasn't sure what was happening here, if he was reading too much into Starbuck's actions, but he was determined to enjoy it while it lasted.

The conversation turned then, to other subjects less potentially dangerous. Apollo kept things deliberately light and casual. He made no mention of it when Starbuck's hand found its way back into his own, only smiled at the feel of those long, sensitive fingers entwined with his.

People were drifting away, alone or in pairs, when Apollo returned to reality enough to check his chrono. "Blast! Star, I need to get back now, it's late and I have to-"

"Yes, yes- be up early, to supervise the next training flight. I know, I'll be there too, remember? My pilot wannabes are taking a spin in their Vipers tomorrow." He winced. Simulator scores hadn't been all that impressive, but he had to get them off the ground sometime.

"Lords help us." Apollo rose, surprised when Starbuck followed suit and refused to relinquish his hand.

Together, they made their way out of the cantina. Apollo was aware of eyes watching their progress, but didn't care. He was off duty, it was his business and none other's who he let hold his hand.

Outside his quarters, Apollo paused and turned to Starbuck. "Star-"

"Thanks for a lovely evening, Pol," his friend said, with a flippant grin. Then he was pulled into a quick, rough embrace, and left standing in the corridor as Starbuck strode rapidly away. Apollo sighed, gave up on ever removing the grin from his face short of surgery, and entered his quarters.

Starbuck fled to the safe haven of his own quarters, feeling rather shaky. He wasn't too sure what he was doing, oh no- not at all, in fact. But these last few days, he'd gone beyond accepting the fact that Pol found him attractive and into the realm of speculation. Would it really be so bad? Apollo was already so close, more like an extension of himself than a seperate person. They'd shared so much together... and Pol was damn good looking, even though Starbuck had never thought of him in that light before.

And that kiss... well, that had been something else. He might not even mind repeating that experience, only with an open mind this time. His initial disgusted reaction had faded into a tentative curiosity.

He stripped down for a quick shower, then went to bed. One thing was certain, anyway- if he was going to take a chance and try something different, Pol was the only possible candidate. He smiled before he drifted off to sleep, thinking that even though he was utterly confused, it was a good thing to see that look of joy in Pol's eyes.