[Tabitha]

The launch orders came quickly, pilots began to scramble to their Vipers. She recognized a few, they were senior officers, all of them experienced. They were very good pilots, but they were Blue squadron. She was Red, so for her, it was like seeing a senior in high school, she tended to not speak and just go her own way. She grabbed her helmet and got into her Viper, the Blue squadron members were scrambling for their own helmets. It took her only a few moments to get her Viper ready for launch. When permission was given, she hit the turbo and felt the gee forces shove her back. She loved launches.
When Blue squadron formed up, she realized that Red was still assembling, but there were Cylon raiders all over, this wasnt right. Were they escorting someone importaint? Then the shooting started. She squeeled and began yanking the stick around, causing her Vipers targeting computer to fight to give her any real readings. After the initial shock of being shot at left her, she relaxed into the fight, performing aerial gymnastics, like she used to in daddys sky hopper back on Virgon. The Cylons were fast, and they didnt just fly into her gun sights like in the simulators, they dodged and faught back fiercly. She struggled to keep control over her Viper, its inertial compensators were strained to their limits, her manouvers exceeding normal or even emergency flight envelope. She felt a bit dizzy, blood running from her nose as she continued to turn and burn, her guns shaking the Viper like hammers on the sides. Several explosions erupted around her, maybe her targets, maybe other Vipers, she wasnt sure. It wasnt about one on one fighting anymore, it was a confused dance of energy bolts and shrapnel. Some of the pieces so large, they seemed like they should crash right through her canopy.
She flew through several explosions, the engine read out boards were showing tell tales for several systems. She didnt have time to really register what they were. The five Cylons on her tail were closing their loop and she was counting the final moments of her life.
Suddenly they broke off, it was like a switch was thrown. She looked around, the Galactica was gone, the other battlestars were gone as well. Just a few dozen Vipers were left, their pilots looking dazed and confused. She looked over and recognised a few Vipers from Atlantia, a couple from Atlantis, one from Pegasus, and a couple from Galactica. She flew over to regroup with the ones from Galactica.
"Blue one to Red seven, you finally get that thing under control?" she heard Captain Apollo ask.
"Yes sir, been under control the whole time, sir." she replied not sure how to take that question.
"Oh, you were right Starbuck." he laughed. She heard Lt. Starbuck laugh over the radio, and felt suddenly very foolish to have been the topic of conversation between such esteemed pilots. "Yep, Captain, someday youll learn not to bet against me, but not too soon I hope. Now, lets see if we can find a place to land, I dont know about you, but Im low on fuel, and about out of ammo." he said sounding very serious. She knew that the Ion shells that the laser accelerators fired were small, but not infinite. She looked down and saw that she was empty. Ok, she thought, thats what that red light is... oh frak, Im nearly out of fuel too. "Um, Captain Apollo sir, I am also low on fuel sir." she said.
"You were right again Starbuck." Apollo laughed.
"Well, that was an easy one, nobody can yank and bank that much without using up all their fuel." Starbuck sounded like he was putting a cigar in his mouth, and she was tempted to look, but figured she should hang back in formation.
"Look, there she is!" Apollo cried as the Galactica suddenly swung into view. The few surviving Vipers, many from battlestars that were destroyed or missing, all sped towards her. Tabitha hung back with Starbuck and Apollo, allowing the others to land first. It seemed only fair that the orphaned pilots get to land first. As she waited she saw Boomer and Jolly pull along side her. She smiled. They were nice, Boomer was teaching her the finer points of landing. Behind them were two members of her own squadron, but that was all she could see. It looked like most of red didnt make it.
Landing was tough, there were a few wrecked Vipers in the bay, still others were out of fuel and were starting to slide a bit. She dropped the nose as her skids touched down and brought it to a halt just shy of the red line and taxied in. She parked her Viper just aft of Boomers and waited for her turn to the elevator, down to the flight bay.
She was eager to talk to the other survivors, to hear their stories, and share her own.