Chapter 17
Epilogue

The breeze was gentle and the air was fresh. The view was outstanding. When Apollo had told Starbuck he was raised in Caprica City, he hadn't mentioned that his family's home was far on the outskirts of town, high in the hills looking over the city and the ocean beyond.

It was like a different world where solitude and peace reigned over green rolling knolls. The nearest neighbour was a hectare away, yet when you met him wandering the ambling trails, he greeted you like a long lost friend.

At night, the stars seemed so close, you felt like you could reach up and pull them from the sky. Everyone in Apollo's family was a stargazer, and Starbuck had had each and every visible constellation pointed out to him over the course of the two nights he was there. And he had found out, not surprisingly, that Apollo owned a telescope.

The heavens had favoured them. Bright sunshine had broken through the cloud cover the first day they arrived, and had persisted through the secton-end. He lay down on his back, chewing on the stem of grass he had plucked. Even the grass tasted sweeter, he reflected as he breathed in the earthy smell around him. Yeah, it was quite the place.

He grinned as he thought back to Apollo's invitation. His friend was difficult to deceive and he had a pretty good idea that Starbuck's unusual silence wasn't just due to the black and blue mosaic he was sporting over his body. Apollo had invited him home for secton-end on the pretense of helping him catch up with his missed classes.

Of course, when Starbuck had asked the flight leader if he kept his previous yahrens assignments at home and if he might just borrow them, Apollo had acted suitably appalled. He then spent the next centar convincing the reluctant Starbuck to join him for a change of scenery.

That was the understatement of the yahren.

At first, walking into his friend's home was much like being in the eye of a hurricane. The family had greeted Apollo, enveloping him in an onslaught of embraces and questions. His siblings competed for his attention from the moment he was out of his mother's arms. Starbuck had stood back watching the onrush with a mixture of amusement and just a little envy. Then Ila had closed in on him.

He had never met a woman more gracious and sincere than Apollo's mother. It took her all of a centon to notice him standing apart and to hurry to his side to welcome him to their home, and ultimately, their family. She was warm, intelligent, witty, and could do things to everyday food that had him reaching for repeated helpings. Nope, no need to camouflage the meals in Ila's kitchen.

Commander Adama was a pleasant surprise. Starbuck had just assumed that a man of his renown and importance would be filled with a certain amount of arrogance and pretension. Instead, he was much like his wife with an air of hospitality that had him sharing stories of his own time as a young fighter pilot while as a cadet and ensign. He also displayed an indulgence towards his children that bespoke of too much precious time spent separated from his family.

Apollo's younger brother had actually acted a bit jealous of Starbuck, when he had seemed to usurp Zac's usual position of 'center of attention'. But a couple of games of pyramid later in the seclusion of the boy's bedroom had cinched their bond of chicanery and quasi-delinquency.

Then there was Apollo's sister, Athena. The young woman was a mixture of sweetness, naivety and youthful exuberance that was instantly endearing. She was expecting to attend the Academy the following yahren, which would place her and Starbuck there at the same time, or so she kept reminding him. He had caught her watching him surreptitiously several times, which was both amusing and annoying. Amusing to Starbuck and annoying to Apollo.

He closed his eyes, the sun warm on his face as he stretched out on the hillside overlooking Apollo's home. He could hear his friend's steady ascent towards him, and he knew his time there was drawing to an end. It had been a surprisingly rejuvenating few days, which he realized he truly needed, for probably the first time in his life.

Apollo sat down beside him, smiling at Starbuck's slothful position. "You really take relaxation to a new level."

"I think I've perfected it." Starbuck replied, still chewing on his blade of grass, one arm folded beneath his head. His eyes were closed . . . almost. Through a shadow of eyelashes, he could see his friend studying him, even though his expression was easy. Starbuck ignored the uncomfortable feeling that tugged at him and instead, let out a long, lazy sigh. Yeah, he could tell that Apollo had questions on his mind, and he wasn't exactly sure how he would respond. Maybe he could divert his squadron leader's attention, somehow.

"You ready for your make-up exam?" Apollo asked, interrupting Starbuck's strategy planning.

"Yeah," he answered casually. "You took great notes last yahren." He opened his eyes and grinned up at his friend.

Apollo nodded. "Good." He met the cadet's gaze, then looked off into the gentle blue sky, letting a calm silence settle between the two. High above, a falco glided, his wings spread wide, spiraling upward as he caught a thermal current.

Starbuck followed his friend's gaze and spotted the avian, too. He flew as if he were master of the sky, without a care or concern. The cadet knew the feeling; it gripped him every time he soared through the atmosphere and beyond in his ship. Just you and the vastness of space. No worries, no concerns. No attachments. Or separations.

A piercing cry, muted by the distance, reached their ears. Was it his imagination, or did it echo a mournful tone. Frak. Starbuck sat up abruptly, annoyed for some reason that Apollo had not started grilling him about . . . things, but had left him to his own, drifting thoughts. He flung the blade of grass away and ran a hand through his hair.

"You okay?" Apollo asked quietly.

Starbuck sighed and gave a dry chuckle. "Yeah, I'm fine, or . . ." He squinted back up, but the falco was gone. " . . . will be," he breathed, his voice barely above a whisper. "Frakking waste of . . ." He trailed off, not sure what he really wanted to say.

Apollo let out his own loud sigh and flopped back against the grass. "Yeah, I know what you mean. She was a great leader and organizer. Frakking waste of everything!" He spat the last few words.

Starbuck gazed at his friend in surprise, but then again . . . why was he surprised? Apollo had known Imara longer, had worked with her closely for several sectars in their roll as squadron leaders. He knew his respect for her ran deep. "Got that right," Starbuck muttered.

They lapsed into silence once more, with Apollo studying the cloudless sky and Starbuck examining some trees way off in the distance. Finally, the Phoenix squadron leader sat up. "So," he said at length, "need some help?"

Starbuck shot him a quizzical look. "With what?" If he thought --

"Plotting your revenge." Apollo narrowed his eyes, but his lips snaked up in a mirthless smile.

"Revenge . . .?" It took him just another micron to read the hard glint in Apollo's green eyes. "Ah, yes . . . well . . . are you serious? I mean, you can't really be willing to risk your status as squadron leader --"

"Dead serious. Besides, with your devious machinations and my unfailing common sense, we're bound to pull it off unscathed." His eyes twinkled in sudden devilry. It would be fun. A little walk on the wild side for a change. Not to mention a much needed distraction for Starbuck.

Starbuck studied his friend for a moment longer, then broke out into a broad grin. "Okay, then, maybe you can think of something even more humiliating than purple dye."