Title: Is It Urgent? Author: rita E-mail: mommacita1@juno.com Rating: G Pairings: None really Archive: Yes, please Series: No Website: No Disclaimer: I don't own the boys, I just like to play with them. And I certainly don't make any profit from it! Notes: Blame my husband for annoying me. Warnings (if needed): Unhappy ending, minor character damage, angst (hurt, no comfort) Summary: Starbuck gets asked the same question by many different people and decides he knows the real answer. *** It was the end of their patrol when Starbuck chinned their private comm line on. "Hey, Apollo?" "What is it, Starbuck?" Apollo asked in a tired voice. It seemed like Starbuck had been jabbering at him all patrol. "Do you have some time to talk to me about something after patrol?" Starbuck asked. "Can't," Apollo replied. "I have to pick Boxey up from post-instructional supervision before I'm charged extra." "Oh. Okay," Starbuck said, trying to keep the disappointment from his voice. "I guess you're busy after that, too." "Yes, I am. As a matter of fact, I was going to ask if you'd watch Boxey for me." He had been going to do no such thing, every time 'Uncle Starbuck' watched Boxey, it took Apollo a good secton to undo the damage. "Umm, sure." "Maybe we can talk when I get back." "It's your monthly Captain's Exchange meeting, isn't it?" Starbuck asked. Apollo was momentarily impressed; he hadn't realized Starbuck kept track. "As a matter of fact, yes. Why?" "'Cause you always stay late at those and I've got my yahren's physical with Dr. Salik early tomorrow. I don't suppose you're free tomorrow after we're off-duty?" "You know I'm not." "I wish you wouldn't see her. She's not good for..." "Don't go there, Starbuck. You may be my best friend, but I won't have you trashing Sheba." "Right. Sorry." "Well, how about talking now?" Apollo asked, somewhat contrite at having to put Starbuck off. "We don't have duty on Sixthday. I'll pawn Boxey off on my father and we can talk then." "Nah, that's okay. I ... I just wanted to talk before we went off-cycle. It won't be fresh by Sixthday." There was silence on the commlink for a few centons, then Apollo opened the line. "Is it urgent, Starbuck? Because if it is, I'll cancel going to the Captain's Exchange." "Would you cancel going out with Sheba?" "Starbuck!" "Sorry. No. It's not urgent. I just wanted ... doesn't matter. It's not urgent." Starbuck chinned off the comm as his voice cracked, hoping Apollo didn't notice. *** The command commlink signaled as the patrol came within hailing distance. "Starbuck," the Lieutenant acknowledged. "If you don't have immediate plans, I'd like you to pick up something for me on the Agassis before you come back to the Galactica, Lieutenant," came the Commander's voice. "Will it take long, Sir?" Starbuck asked, mindful that he had agreed to watch Boxey when he came off-duty. "Why? Do you have plans?" "Um, well, I'm supposed to watch Boxey for Apollo, Sir." "Is it urgent?" Starbuck hesitated. "I don't think so. Just the Captain's Exchange." "Well, that's very important, Lieutenant," Adama said in a tone that Starbuck knew wasn't meant to be patronizing. "The Captains in the Fleet don't have much time to socialize with each other and share information and ideas informally. But it's not urgent that *you* baby-sit. I'll keep Boxey with me until you get in." He proceeded to give Starbuck instructions on what he was to pick up and where. *** When he finally returned to the Bachelor Officers' Quarters later that evening, Starbuck found Boomer in the midst of a Pyramid game. There wasn't room for him at the table, so he just stood and watched quietly for several hands until Boomer threw down his cards and said, "I'm out!" "Have you eaten, Boom-boom?" Starbuck asked. "Sorry, Bucko, I grabbed something with the guys just a little while ago." "Oh. Okay. Did you get a chance to make a copy of that data crystal I gave you?" "Oh. Spaced it entirely." Boomer shook his head at his own forgetfulness. "I've got early patrol, but ... is it urgent?" "No, it's waited half a secton, it can wait another cycle," Starbuck replied. "I'll get to it as soon as I come off-duty tomorrow," Boomer promised. He headed for the bunks. *** In the OC, Starbuck wandered over to the table at which Cassiopeia was sitting with some other med-techs. "Got a centon, Cass?" he asked. "Actually, I'm kind of in the middle of something," she answered. "Is it urgent?" Starbuck just shook his head and turned toward the bar. "Starbuck?" Cass called. When he turned again, she reminded him, "If you eat or drink anything other than aqua, we won't be able to test your blood tomorrow." "Oh. Right, I'd forgotten," Starbuck said with a sigh. "You should have eaten earlier," Cass chided him. "Yeah," he agreed as he walked back towards the exit. "I'm sure the Commander and the Captain would have considered *that* urgent." *** "What is it, Lieutenant?" Dr. Salik growled, looking up from the warrior whose mouth he was examining as Starbuck walked in. "I'm here for my physical," Starbuck replied. "Well, we're kind of busy here, this cycle. Seems almost all of Silver Spar's come down with some kind of rash inside their mouths." He frowned. "You wouldn't know anything about that, would you, Lieutenant?" Bojay, his lips tinged a strange purple color from the medicated swab Dr. Paye had used on his mouth, looked up from where he was sitting and replied before Starbuck could. "Nah, Doc, not him. The only Blue pilot who hangs around anybody in Silver Spar is Apollo and he only hangs around with our flight leader." He grinned, revealing that the swab had turned his teeth a blinding orange. Salik ignored him. To Starbuck he said, "Is it urgent?" Starbuck sighed. "Of course not," he said and turned to leave. "Don't eat anything," Salik called after him. "We might be able to squeeze you in at a micron's notice. I'll comm you if we can." *** By the time Life Center was cleared of emergencies it was third cycle of Sixthday. Starbuck thought he had gone beyond hunger. After having half his blood taken out for testing, or so it seemed, however, he *was* hungry and had just entered the OC when the alarm claxons began to sound. "Frak!" he muttered as he raced for the transport to the launch bays. Starbuck was a little lightheaded as he jumped onto the transport and Boomer frowned as he steadied his friend. "You okay, Bucko?" he asked. "Yeah, I'll be fine, just ran too hard." *** In the chaos of battle, no one saw Starbuck's craft take a glancing blow to its underbelly. Starbuck, still lightheaded and feeling sluggish, had neglected to strap himself in and was bounced around the small space knocking his helmet off. After a micron's disorientation, he reseated himself and regained control of his craft before the Cylons came around again. When the battle was over, he climbed out of the viper to discover an angry Apollo waiting for him. "That was pretty sloppy flying, Lieutenant," he began, then noticed the blond's bruised face. "What the frak?" "I ... uh ... seem to have forgotten to belt myself in," Starbuck said, not meeting his Captain's eyes. "Report to Life Center for treatment," Apollo snapped. "Then report to my office for discipline." "Yes, Sir," Starbuck replied meekly. "And don't keep me waiting! I've got a date with Sheba tonight." 'What else is new?' Starbuck thought. But he repeated, "Yes, Sir," as he trudged off. *** "What is it *now*, Lieutenant?" Salik snapped at Starbuck as he staggered in. "Captain told me to report here for treatment," Starbuck replied. "For what treatment?" Salik asked. "I've got injured warriors here. Is it urgent?" "Just feeling a little dizzy," Starbuck began Salik cut him off. "You haven't eaten, have you?" Starbuck shook his head and immediately regretted it. "Thought not. That's why you're dizzy. Go eat something." "Yes, Sir," Starbuck acknowledged and left Life Center. He started for the OC to follow Salik's orders, but thought better of it and reported to the Duty Office instead. Apollo didn't bother to look up when the pale pilot walked in slowly. "Took your time, didn't you?" he asked rhetorically. "I'm rescinding your time off. You stay on-duty or on-call through the next secton. Dismissed." Not waiting for a response, he rose and brushed by Starbuck, who lost his balance trying to step out of the way. Apollo didn't turn at the sound of the crash, thinking, 'Temper, temper, Bucko.' But Boomer entered through the ready room door as Starbuck hit the corner of the desk face-on and then fell to the floor. "Captain!" he yelled as he knelt next to his fallen friend. Two sets of feet charged into the Duty Office. Dazed, Starbuck realized one set was male, the other female. His vision was graying, but he clearly heard Sheba opine, "He's doing this for attention, Apollo. He knew you were taking me out and he'll do anything to keep us apart," just before he lost consciousness. *** Starbuck woke to find a very concerned Apollo sitting at his bedside in Life Center. Seeing his eyes flutter open, Apollo jumped up. "Why didn't you tell someone you were really hurt?" he demanded. Starbuck tried to shrug, difficult to do with a pounding head while lying supine. "It wasn't urgent," he finally whispered. Apollo grimaced. "Of course it was urgent. You hadn't eaten in half a secton and you had a concussion. That *is* urgent." Starbuck considered. "Okay," he agreed. '*I'm* not urgent - or important,' he thought as Apollo turned away to let someone medical know he was conscious. He tried to stop the tear that insisted on trickling down his cheek. He remembered all too clearly why he had always kept everyone at a distance. This was what happened when he didn't.