As it happened, Apollo did know River Bridgen's name. But she didn't know that yet.

Apollo was feeding his misery in his office when Kat walked in.

"CAG," he said, a small bitter smile on his face, "what brings you here today?"

"Nothing in particular," she said sarcastically, "There's nothing I need, obviously, when your father's on a day trip to the planet, and left you in charge of the flight plans for the entire fleet."

"I have reviewed them," Commander Adama said, his face weary. He sighed, and tore himself away from his tea and cookies. "It doesn't seem feasible in its current configuration. Now if we had Starbuck on our team-"

"-You know just as well as I do that we don't have her, not are we gonna any time soon, so you best get used to it," Kat said, fierce as he brought up her rival. "Moreover, you know just as well as I do that I fight just as well as she does."

"That's stretching it," said Apollo, shrugging and laying his hands in his lap.

"Well, Dee says so," said Kat, knowing that she was touching a sore spot.

"Let's not bring her into this," said Apollo, clearly glum.

"She also talks about you," taunted Kat. "She tries so hard to be supportive, but she's worried you're not the man you were, that you're eating yourself into an early grave, and-"

"-That's enough, lieutenant," snarled Apollo, standing up and fiercely looking down at her. His weight gain had done nothing to minimize his height compared to hers, and she found herself giggling despite herself.

"I- I'm sorry, sir," she said, and tried to regain her composure.

He remained impassive, with a thin smile across his face.

"So I did have one question," Lee said once she'd calmed down with a gulp. "Who is Hiccup, and why is he always at the back of your formations?"

"Oh, you noticed, did you?" Kat said with a laugh. "Well, Hiccup is a bright young thing. I'll see her to squadron leader someday, or I'll eat my helmet. I just don't like to put the bright young things out in front. Makes the others feel like they're kittens running against a cheetah. So I have her be the sheepdog, barking at their heels to keep 'em in line. Teaches her patience."

She neglected to mention that this was how *she* herself was taught in the drug-smuggling biz, way back when.

"Hm," Apollo said, "I don't think I know her. When did she enlist?"

"Two months ago, sir," said Kat cheerfully.

He thought for a moment. "Back on Caprica," he observed, "in peacetime, in addition to our regular drills, we did competitions. I wonder if it's time to start thinking about that sort of thing again. For morale."

"I think that'd be a fine idea," Kat agreed. "I know that many of my team are grumbling about spending all their days in a spaceship when a perfectly good rock floats below them."

"They don't know what it's like, do they?" Apollo said grimly.

"I mean, your father sends them out periodically to do patrols and other chores, but most people haven't had their turn yet," Kat said. "And when they do go, it's sometimes hard to convince them to come back."

"It isn't as easy as they think it is," Apollo said gently.

"No," Kat agreed. "But I guess they think it's worth it."

Apollo shook his head. "I guess thinking about ways we can keep our wits sharp, even though we're bored out of our minds… that's a useful idea."

Kat nodded.

"All right," Apollo said, turning back to his cookies. "Liuteniant, you're dismissed."

"Yes, sir," she replied dutifully.

"Oh, and one more thing," he added as she strode towards the door. "I'd like to meet Hiccup. See if she's really as good as you say she is."

"Fine," Kat said, and left.

Apollo shook his head and immersed himself back into his New Caprican newspaper and vainly looked for any news of Kara Thrace.

…..