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'Morning,' Starbuck said and Kat rolled over, propping herself up on her elbow.

'Hey,' Kat replied, leaning in to give her a quick kiss on the lips before pushing back the covers and slipping out of bed.

'Where are you going?' Starbuck asked, with a frown, as Kat bent over to grab her underwear from the floor.

'I want to get a shower before my shift starts,' she said, tugging on her pants and slipping her tank top over her head.

'Kat...' Starbuck began, but she pulled on her jacket and unlocked the door.

'I'll see you later...' she said, disappearing into the corridor and closing the door behind her, Starbuck slumping back onto the pillow with a sigh.

####################

Six shots rang out, four punching through the head of the target and two more hitting the heart as Kat stepped back, ejecting the magazine from her pistol. Pulling off her ear protectors, she turned to see Captain Adama standing behind her.

'Pretty impressive.'

'Thank you, sir,' Kat said, coming to attention and Lee waved his hand.

'As you were, Kat. Have you seen Starbuck?'

'...Sir?'

'...Starbuck. Have you seen her?'

'Not...since last night, sir. After the poker game broke up...'

'Okay. Briefing at 0930...'

'I'll be there, sir...'

####################

'Make a hole,' Starbuck said, scattering the enlistees and deckhands as she ran down the corridor.

'Starbuck.'

'Commander,' she said, stopping and coming to attention as Commander Adama emerged from his quarters.

'At ease, Starbuck. Keeping the new recruits on their toes, I see?'

'...Yes, sir. I guess I'm just feeling a little restless. We've been escorting supply convoys for the last two weeks. I could do with some action,' she began, just as Mr Gaeta's voice came over the intercom.

'Action stations. Actions stations. All hands report to action stations.'

'Be careful what you wish for,' Adama said, with a wry smile. 'Good hunting, Starbuck...'

####################

Starbuck raced onto the flight deck and headed to her Viper, scrambling into the cockpit. As she fastened her harness, she glanced to her left and saw Kat putting on her helmet as her canopy hissed closed. The techs manoeuvred her Viper into the launch bay and she felt the kick as the catapult shot her Viper down the tube and into space. Glancing left, she saw Kat's Viper settling in on her wing, just as two blocky vessels dove past them towards Galactica, their cannons spitting fire.

'Let's get 'em,' she said, gripping her flight stick as Kat's voice came over the radio.

'I'm on your six...' she said and Starbuck dived after them, her own cannons barking as she squeezed the trigger and the bullets ripped through the rear craft. As it detonated, she swung towards the lead craft, her finger settling over the trigger again...

'Starbuck, break right,' Kat yelled and she shoved her flight stick right as another fighter shot past her with Kat riding on it's tail. Her cannons opened up and her fire tore through the cockpit, the fighter drifting sideways in a tumbling spin.

'You're clear, Starbuck,' Kat said, just as Lee came over the radio.

'Apollo to all Vipers. Galactica has detected a radiological alarm. Repeat, one of the fighters is carrying Nukes. Telemetry is coming through, now...'

'Got it,' Starbuck said, punching the details up on her HUD. 'Apollo, Starbuck, we're on it.'

'Copy that, Starbuck,' Lee said and Starbuck tightened her grip on her flight stick, diving towards the fighter. She held her course as she closed with the fighter, lining it up in her crosshairs.

Only going to get one shot at this...

'Starbuck, you're too close,' Kat said, but Starbuck ignored her, her finger tightening on the trigger...

####################

'Starbuck, you're too close,' Kat said as Starbuck opened fire, her blast ripping through the fighter.

'All Vipers, pull out,' Lee ordered and Kat pulled up on her stick, reversing course as the fighter exploded with a fireball that shock her Viper.

'Starbuck, come in,' Kat said, activating her radio, which crackled with static. 'Starbuck, do you read...?'

'Starbuck, Apollo. Do you read...?' Lee said

'I read you, Apollo,' Starbuck said and Kat slumped back . 'Target destroyed.'

'Acknowledged, Starbuck,' Apollo said. 'Vipers, form up on me. Crashdown, Hot Dog, you have the CAP...'

####################

Starbuck vaulted from the cockpit and scrambled down the ladder to where Kat was waiting with her arms folded across her chest.

'We showed them, huh...' she began as Kat punched her on the shoulder.

'Hey! What was that for?'

'You almost got yourself killed out there,' Kat said, her lips pressed together and Starbuck put a hand on her shoulder.

'I knew what I was doing,' she said, leaning into kiss her and Kat put her hand on her shoulder.

'Not here,' she said, glancing over her shoulder and stepping back as she saw Lee climbing out of his Viper.

'De-brief in the Ready Room in ten minutes, people...'

Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed it. Any comments, reviews or constructive criticisms very welcome