The CIC was bustling as usual, doing whatever it was that made it look so busy in there all the time. Gaius probably just didn't like it because people of rank kept bumping into him as they passed, since he was sticking out of the crowd into their work space.

The crowd gathered between the command table and the tactical screen consisted of Commander Adama and Colonel Tigh, the Captain Adama at their side, Lieutenant Gaeta and Starbuck nearby, then President Roslin and then Billy and finally Gaius on the outside, forgotten.

As he sighed in well-earned exasperation and tried to get a better look, he felt a pale hand creep over his shoulder.

"Little Gaius not getting the attention he deserves?" Six whispered. "All you have to do is ask." She bit on his ear a little and he whimpered. Luckily, no one bothered to overhear, although across the crowd Apollo briefly darted his eyes over and back to the screen.

Clearing his throat to cover the quiet sound of music he heard, the captain shifted his weight and reached out to point at the display. "Our best bet would be to take two Vipers in from here, jump them to the cover of the asteroid field, and wait."

The crowd considered this plan for a moment, until the Commander nodded. "I agree. Apollo, you're in command of this mission. Starbuck, everyone, I think you all know what to do."

Starbuck practically leered in Apollo's direction, and Gaius snorted indignantly.

Adama turned to him, and the rest of the crowd followed suit. "Do you have a problem with this plan, Doctor?"

"Some kind of Cylon counter-intelligence you happen to know that we don't?" Tigh put in with his crotchety old man voice.

"Just ask them, Gaius," Six said to him as he stammered, "Yes, no. I mean, yes. Not so much a problem as...eh, well, that is--" he shook his head, rolled his eyes up at Six in a way that was meant to look like the ineffable heavens, "--I don't even know where to start questioning this, uh, this plan."

He looked at everyone except for Apollo and dropped his eyes.

Six put her hand under his chin and said, "Ask them to--"

She didn't have to lift his head for him, it shot up on its own accord and he found himself locking eyes with Captain Adama. Music swelled, the most romantic and beautiful of violin melodies ever imagined.

"What the hell is that crap?" Colonel Tigh griped loudly, looking around CIC.

"Gaius, are you even listening to me?" Six asked with no small amount of concern.

Gaius cleared his throat and looked around Apollo to Adama. "I would like to accompany uh, Captain Adama on his mission."

Starbuck and Tigh broke out laughing, then saw that the other was laughing too, and immediately stopped.

"Commander," Starbuck started, "He doesn't even know how to fly a Viper--"

"He does," Apollo cut in, and Gaius wondered why he was lying for him. The din of the CIC faded away, as they both felt themselves compelled to turn toward the other. Their eyes met, and suddenly they were alone in the universe. No Galactica, no Cylons, just Gaius and Apollo, drifting through endless starfields together.

"Dear Gods, find me the nearest airlock," Tigh muttered, pulling out his boot flask. When he was done with it, Starbuck yanked it out of his hands and took a healthy swig of her own.

Commander Adama squinted and looked back and forth between his son and the bat-crazy scientist. The two were trying very hard not to look at each other, but he could tell that they were fighting something beyond their control. Adama looked up to the President, not having heard her opinion on any of this yet.

She was wearing one of those unfathomable smiles that she reserved for people who pleasantly surprised her or the doctor. Billy looked mildly sick. He looked to Gaeta, who looked somewhat miffed.

"Alright. It's Apollo's mission. If he wants to fly with Doctor Baltar, it's his choice." And with that, Adama stepped away. Gaeta glared at Apollo and followed.

Both Starbuck and Six watched him go, shocked. "WHAT?!" they both shouted.

"Commander, that's crazy!" Starbuck called after him.

"It's Apollo's choice," Adama repeated.

"It's his death wish," Tigh shrugged and doddered off.

Six shook Gaius, but he remained remarkably unswayed. "Gaius, Gaius, what are you doing?"

He didn't answer her, instead took a step towards the captain. "I'll fly with you, if you'll have me," he offered rather shyly.

Apollo stared, not daring breathe. Then he smiled, an honest and disbelieving smile. "Of course, of course I will."

The music rose around them, lifting them up as on wings of eagles. Starbuck hauled back and slugged Apollo right in the eye. The music died out as he crumpled to the floor. She grabbed him under the arms and began to drag him away.

"Wait, what--what are you doing?!" Gaius yelled, shocked and bewildered.

"Somebody's gotta get him ready for his mission, Doc," Starbuck grit out. "And it's gonna be me."

*****

Apollo knew that Gaius had never been in a Viper before, but he trusted that the genius would be able to figure it out. And it seemed he had guessed right, as the two planes were skipping along through space in perfect formation.

He risked a look out his canopy at the other ship, and caught Gaius' eye. He always did. For a long time now, the doctor had been everywhere he looked. The music was a new thing. It came in over their headsets like old-time radio, nostalgic and sweet.

"Doctor, Apollo. Ready to jump?"

Gaius' voice crackled in his ears, "Ready."

"Alright, then follow me."

"Anywhere."

Apollo grinned fiercely into his helmet and jumped.

He appeared in a flash of folded light in orbit of a bright blue planet. That didn't concern him at all, and he craned around trying to catch a sight of Gaius' Viper. Nothing. Then a blip on DRADIS and he laughed in relief.

"Where are we, Captain?" Gaius asked slowly, looking away from the planet long enough to catch eyes with Apollo. The music was brief but tender.

"I do believe it's Earth, Doctor. Want to go have a look?"

They found the Earth to be a wonderful, though deserted, paradise. As they stood with their faces to the yellow sun, a thought occurred to Gaius.

"The thing to do now," he said, "is repopulate this planet."

Apollo turned to him, surprised. "But how?!"

Gaius gave the pilot his best smug/sexy look and stepped closer. "I am a genius scientist, remember?"

"Oh," Apollo said. "Then I guess we'd better get started."