It was a typical day aboard the Galactica when Apollo heard a knock at the
door of his quarters.  Answering it, he discovered Chameleon. 

"Did you come to see Starbuck?" Apollo asked, not knowing why his friend's
father was there. 

"No, I came to see you," replied the gambler. "I wanted to ask you to do
something for me." 

"If I can, I will," agreed Apollo. "What is it?"

"Wish Starbuck a happy birthday tomorrow."

"It's Starbuck's birthday tomorrow?" Because he was an orphan, no one knew
when Starbuck's birthday was, and so far the Lieutenant had resisted all
attempts to choose a random date as his birthday. "I didn't think you knew
when it was."

"I found something in a collection of old papers," Chameleon told him, and
handed the piece of paper to Apollo. It was a birth certificate, saying
that a baby boy had been born thirty yahrens ago tomorrow. The name of the
boy was "Gabriel Astarte." 

"This is Starbuck's real name?" Apollo asked. He'd always known that
'Starbuck' was a nickname, but if his friend had a real name, he'd never
heard it. 

"Yes. Gabriel Astarte. I know that hardly anyone uses family names
anymore, but I wanted him to have my name. It's Old Tongue, it means - " 

"From the stars," Apollo put in. "I know. Studying Old Tongue is a hobby
of mine. I wonder if that's how he got his nickname?" 

Chameleon smiled. "Who knows how we acquire our nicknames. I don't even
remember who first called me 'Chameleon.' Do you know the origin of his
first name as well?" 

"Yes. It's the name of an angel in the Books of Kobol. It fits him,
somehow." Suddenly Apollo had a thought. "Tell me, how am I supposed to
tell Starbuck I know when his birthday is without revealing that you're
really his father?" Chameleon hadn't wanted Starbuck to know his true
identity. 

The old gambler rose and went to the door "You may tell him the truth," he
answered, "but not until I'm gone." And with that, he vanished as suddenly
as he'd arrived. 

"Chameleon, wait!" Apollo called out, but it was too late. Chameleon was
nowhere to be seen. 

The next day, Starbuck was surprised to receive an invitation to Apollo's
quarters for dinner.  Never one to turn down a free meal, he agreed
enthusiastically. When the meal was done, he was even more surprised to be
presented with a cake. "What's this for?" he asked. 

"It's your birthday," his friend replied.

"Pol, I've told you dozens of times not to go choosing a birthday for me.
I don't know when my birthday is and I don't want to celebrate on some
randomly chosen day." 

"This really is your birthday. Chameleon - your father - told me."

"My father? You mean Chameleon really is my father?" He narrowed his eyes
and looked at his friend in suspicion. "How long have you known?" 

"Since Cassie ran the tests the first time we met him. He came here
yesterday and gave me this,"  he handed Starbuck the birth certificate,
"and asked me to tell you that it was your birthday and that he was your
father, but he left before I could ask him to tell you himself." 

"So you've known all along that he's my father? Gee, thanks for telling
me, Pol." The Lieutenant got up and walked out of his friend's quarters. 

Apollo ran after him, catching up to him in the corridor. "Starbuck, I'm
sorry I didn't tell you sooner, but - " 

"Don't say anything, Apollo," Starbuck replied angrily. "You have a
family. You had parents. I didn't. You have a father. I don't. And when I
found my father, my actual flesh-and-blood birth parent - you didn't tell
me. I would have gone with him if I'd known. But you didn't give me that
option. Some friend you are, *Captain.* " And Starbuck stormed off,
heading to the Bachelor Officer's Quarters. 

"Starbuck!" Apollo called after him, but Starbuck was already gone. "I
love you, Starbuck," he whispered after his friend's retreating figure,
before heading back to his own quarters.

Once inside, Apollo started cleaning up the dinner things. Then he
realized that the candles on Starbuck's birthday cake were still lit. He
started to blow them out, then thought, /Starbuck didn't make a wish.
Maybe I should./ It seemed like a silly idea, but he couldn't get it out
of his head, so he made a wish before blowing out the candles. /Too bad
Boxey isn't here tonight, I'd have got him to do it./

When he was finished, Apollo was at loose ends. He'd planned to spend this
evening with Starbuck, perhaps in the Officer's Club or on the Rising
Star. But now he was alone. He wondered if Starbuck would ever forgive
him. He'd never seen his friend that angry before. 

He gave up on finding anything else to do, and went to bed.

Sometime later, he woke to discover a figure standing next to his bed.
"Who's there?" 

"It's just me, Pol."

"Starbuck? What do you want?"

"I want to apologize for running off on you earlier," his friend answered. 

"No offense, Star, but couldn't it have waited until after sleep period?" 

"No, it couldn't. I tried waiting, but I couldn't sleep."

Apollo sat up and turned on the light. He motioned to a chair, and
Starbuck sat down. "So, what's on your mind?" Apollo asked. 

"Someone left this letter for me in the Bachelor Officers' Quarters." He
handed Apollo a sheet of paper. 

"Dear Starbuck:

You won't read this until after I'm gone. Don't bother trying to find me;
you won't succeed. My life is not for you. You belong on the Galactica
with your chosen family, not with me. 

Don't be mad at Captain Apollo for not telling you the blood test results.
I asked him not to.  Your friends on the Galactica are more of a family to
you than I ever was. 

I gave Apollo is a copy of your birth certificate. I want you to have it.
It shows your birth name and birthdate. Now you know when your birthday
is, and what your real name is - Gabriel. The name 'Astarte' is my family
name. 

One last thing. Be good to Apollo. That man loves you as much or more than
I loved your mother. Don't make the same mistake I made - stay with him.
You belong together. 

I love you, my son.

Chameleon"

Apollo finished reading the letter and handed it back. He didn't know what
to say. Chameleon knew of his feelings for Starbuck - but how did Starbuck
feel? 

"Is it true, Apollo?" the blond man asked.

"Yes, it's true. I love you. I've loved you for yahrens."

Starbuck breathed a sigh of relief. "I love you too, Pol."

Apollo didn't say anything else, but got out of bed and walked into the
small kitchenette attached to his quarters. He removed the birthday cake
and a bottle of ambrosa. Lighting the candles on the cake and pouring the
ambrosa, he said, "I made a wish tonight. Now it's your turn." 

Starbuck looked thoughtful for a centon or two, then blew out the candles.
Apollo pulled him close and kissed him. 

"Looks like I got my wish. What was yours?" Starbuck asked.

"That you would come back."

Starbuck grinned and kissed Apollo. "We're two for two, then. Got any more
wishes?" 

"There's no more candles," the Captain pointed out.

"Don't need them. Tell me what your wishes are, and I'll make them come
true." 

"All right then. I wish that I could make love with my angel from the
stars." 

Starbuck stood and held out his hand. Apollo took it and followed him into
the bedroom. 

And all their wishes came true that night and every night afterwards.

END