Drabble Weekend

[scifishipper.livejournal.com]

I love drabbles. I love the tight prose and deliberate choices that writers make when they force themselves to convey a story/idea/scene in only 100 words. So, with my selfish love of this medium in mind, I am challenging the K/L writers to deliver.

Write a pilots drabble (or ten!) that is exactly 100 words. No more. No less.

Not a writer? Leave some prompts. I will get us started in the comments with some prompts and will return later with my own drabble(s).

Happy writing and have a great weekend.

Note: Microsoft Word has a word count tool but there is also this website where you can cut and paste into the window. Or write directly in it. :)

Comments

PROMPTS

[scifishipper.livejournal.com]

weekend coffee date
flat spin
anniversary
second banana
the last time I saw you
no amount of training
upside down
I'm not coming back
third grade recital
mark my words
fireworks
third time's a charm
it's been a long time

[callmeonetrack.livejournal.com]

Lol, this is kinda lame, but it's written!


Three-quarters of the way through the long, incredibly boring double CAP shift they were flying, Apollo realized suddenly that Starbuck's viper was gone.

He clicked on the radio, a foreboding feeling making him terse. “Starbuck, Apollo. Report.”

No response.

A host of unpleasant possibilities flooding his brain. “Starbuck. Do you copy?” Nothing. “STARBUCK!” Silence. Lee sighed, swallowing hard. “Kara? Are you--”

His words stopped as a shadow darkened his cockpit. Lee looked up, and there she was, upside-down, smirking.

“What’s the problem, Apollo?” Her throaty laughter echoed through the staticky comm. “You usually like it when I’m on top!”

[scifishipper.livejournal.com]

HA! That made me laugh out loud! I love the tension in this line:

A host of unpleasant possibilities flooding his brain. “Starbuck. Do you copy?” Nothing. “STARBUCK!” Silence. Lee sighed, swallowing hard. “Kara? Are you--”


What a great set up for Kara's joke!

[ninety6tears.livejournal.com]

Aha, very nice :)

[rayruz.livejournal.com]

Heeee!!! Aww sexyjokes make me happy. :)

[kdbleu.livejournal.com]

Cute!

[reginaspina.livejournal.com]

Hee! I love naughty Kara :D

[anamarya.livejournal.com]

typical Kara to say something so out there over the comm. and is not lame but funny

AU: After the Brig

[scifishipper.livejournal.com]

Flying his father's bird was no honor, but Lee did as ordered, then landed smoothly. Kara'd been on his mind, her insolence and attitude ruffling his smooth feathers. Even after two years, just the sight of her aroused him, her muscled arms rippling with the steady motion of push ups in the brig. He could have stared all day.

He was expected back on the Atlantia; he didn't care. Something was pulling him back to her. He stepped in, she looked up, a smile ghosted his lips.

Smirking, she stood and sauntered towards the bars. "You back for more, Sir?"

Re: AU: After the Brig

[callmeonetrack.livejournal.com]

Hee! Love Kara's line.

Have to admit though that this: ruffling his smooth feathers.

Did make me think of this:


;)

Totally AU like how daybreak should have been. PROMPT: I'm not coming back

[angelicalangie.livejournal.com]

Stood on a grassy plain Lee Adama felt a sense of exploration and not too little childlike giddiness and he was expounding on his plans when Kara interrupted.

“I'm not coming back, Lee”

Lee snorted, and then burst outright into peels of laughter.

“What you are going to grow wings and fly away like a … a …” He couldn't stop laughing, he almost doubled up. “Like a frakking pigeon!” He finally said, laughter still ringing.

Kara regarded him. “Kara Thrace, a frakking pigeon does not make, we clear here?”

Lee's laughter continued loud and unabated

Re: Totally AU like how daybreak should have been. PROMPT: I'm not coming back

[callmeonetrack.livejournal.com]

Lol. I sense a pigeonly theme to the drabbles. ;) nice!

Drabble: Fireworks

[rachelindeed.livejournal.com]

“Here come the fireworks,” his father would say when the front door slammed and Mom’s keys hit the coffee table. That was Lee’s cue to leave.

“Let’s go see the fireworks,” his mother would say on holidays when absent husbands carried a certain prestige. Lee watched and imagined Vipers exploding. Later, his nightmares felt guilty.

“She’s a firecracker,” Zak laughed over the phone, “don’t bother hiding behind company manners.” Lee frowned and brought flowers to their door.

“I love fireworks,” Kara said, watching light burst over the crowd at New Caprica’s ground-breaking.

Lee looked at her and answered, “Me, too.”

Re: Drabble: Fireworks

[scifishipper.livejournal.com]

Awww. This has such a melancholy edge, although I like to think that maybe Lee could enjoy fireworks with Kara because he was with her. And I love Zak's line - nice variation on the prompt.

Three Drabbles

[rayruz.livejournal.com]

"Tastes like shit," Kara grumbled, staring into her mug of so-called coffee. Not that coffee aboard a battlestar had ever tasted great, but the realization that she would never have a decent cup of coffee again sucked. Of all the things she was going to miss about the worlds, coffee was up there.

Lee slid into the seat next to her's with a mug of his own. "It could be worse."

"Care to enlighten me, Apollo?"

"You could be doing a triple CAP with no caffeine." He downed half his mug and Kara couldn't help but grin when he grimaced.


(AU WARNING!!!!)
Kara pulled him down onto the table, on top of her--hands rough, groping and desperate. Somewhere in his mind he knew he should stop this, but another part of his brain seemed to be... malfunctioning. He finally had her undressed underneath him, and he wasn't going to let her get away this time.

Lee felt a flash of heat along his spine, and whatever it was that had been malfunctioning, turned out there hadn't been a better word for it. He was struck with a sudden clarity--the cylons had devised the perfect plan to frak with the Fleet's top pilots.



(ANGST WARNING!!!!)
Kara slid down the ladder and tossed her helmet across the deck. Somewhere, in the back of her mind, she registered people calling out to her but she couldn't be bothered to respond. She just kept going.

Off the deck, left foot, right foot, left, right into the head. She dropped to her knees in front of the toilet as explosions flashed in her mind.

Pilots died. She'd seen it a million times before, but the image of Apollo's viper in flames brighter than the sun... that was something that no amount of training could have ever prepared her for.

Re: Three Drabbles

[scifishipper.livejournal.com]

I love these, but especially the last one. Wow. <3

[justascrewup2.livejournal.com]

Yay drabbles! Loved reading all of these :)

Two for He That Believeth in Me

[callmeonetrack.livejournal.com]

She lands and he lands, and he runs, shoving heedlessly through the crowded deck until he can sweep her up, arms locked around Kara.

His heart races, he can’t breathe. He presses his lips to her neck, the kiss hidden by the curtain of her hair, longer now than the last time he saw her.

When she died.

Lee doesn’t care that this defies the laws of nature. He doesn’t care that she’s a cylon. He doesn’t care about anything but the feel of her body fitting to his, her pulse throbbing against his cheek.

Alive, his heart sings. Alive.

***

“You can let go, you know.” There’s laughter and a hint of frustration in her voice.

“Not a chance.”

Kara sighs, the sound familiar. “I’m not going to disappear, Lee.”

He wants to shout that she doesn’t know that. That she always does, when he lets his attention falter. But he just tightens his grip.

Lee’s been clutching one of the limp sleeves of her rucked-down flight suit since the marine escorts came. His fingers are cramping now, but he can’t let go.

Not until she sighs again, but reaches for his hand, threading her fingers with his and squeezing.

Re: Two for He That Believeth in Me

[rachelindeed.livejournal.com]

So much love for this. <3 <3 <3 <3

Second Banana

[nazkey.livejournal.com]

Of course, I HAD to take this prompt. Hee.

___________________________


“And what if I came along and upset your apple cart?” Lee asked as he edged closer. He was done playing this game. She’d pushed him away far too many times and he was damned if he was going to let her do it again.

“What’re you gonna do then, Kara? Are you gonna marry this second banana just to prove a point?” He reached over and cupped her chin, brushing his thumb on her lower lip.

Kara looked in his eyes, and seeing the predatory glint, chuckled. “Why don’t you just cut the fruit metaphors and kiss me.”

Re: Second Banana

[callmeonetrack.livejournal.com]

**giggles* FRUIT METAPHORS! Hee.

Ending up not fitting a Prompt

[kdbleu.livejournal.com]

Kara stands at the door of his tent, inventorying the room, but not letting her eyes rest on him. She sighs, hand on hip and strides towards Lee not even out of bed for the day. “Come home, Lee.”

“Not my home, Kara. You made that abundantly clear.”

“You built it,” she spat.

“It’s your house.”

“But without you it’s not home.”

She’s beautiful in the early morning sun, glowing even. “Come here.” He beckons her to the cot, scooting over to give her room to side in next him, pulling her close.

“It’s just a stupid house without you.”

Re: Ending up not fitting a Prompt

[scifishipper.livejournal.com]

Awww. I adore this! You've really piqued my interest about the backstory!

The last time I saw you ...

[reginaspina.livejournal.com]

For Zak’s sixteenth birthday, Lee got him tickets to Caprica Buccanneers game. The C-Bucs lost, of course, but Zak wanted autographs anyway, so they waited outside the players’ exit. As Sam Anders came out, a busty blonde girl threw her arms around his neck, gave him a long slow kiss and put something pink and frilly in his hand.

“Must be nice,” Zak said enviously.

***

Lee watches Kara kiss Sam Anders and tells himself that he’s happy Kara’s rescue mission succeeded, that he has a beautiful girlfriend and that he’s not jealous.

He can lie to everyone but himself.

Re: The last time I saw you ...

[kdbleu.livejournal.com]

Ooh, that's crazy little circle of jealousy wrapped in denial. ugh.

Anniversary

[damao2010.livejournal.com]

“One more year.”
After a slight pause, he went on: “What, did you think in my old age I’d finally forget? Not a chance. When did I ever pass an opportunity to prove you wrong? Everyone has a skill, remember?” The memory made him smile.
He observed the place for long minutes. “I can’t really explain what’s so special about this place that I keep coming here every year.” He sighed. “Looks exactly the same. I never said anything, but… everybody knows. I said you wouldn’t be forgotten.”
After a while, he turned and left.
“One less year”, he thought.

Re: Anniversary

[kdbleu.livejournal.com]

Oh, that last line is just heartbreaking. Poor, Lee.

Second Banana

[reginaspina.livejournal.com]

Kara’s never worn her heart on her sleeve, but Sam’s stored away every nugget of information that she’s ever shared with him. He knows about her life with her mother, about what happened with Zak, and even some of what Leoben did to her on New Caprica.

She’s never talked much about Lee Adama, though, so all Sam knows is that they used to be friends. One of those strange military things, Sam figures, everyone trying to be alpha dog.

That’s until he sees them in the boxing ring. Only two people in love can hate each other that much.

Re: Second Banana

[scifishipper.livejournal.com]

Gah! So fucking perfect in every single way. I love it.

Fireworks

[reginaspina.livejournal.com]

The distant battle is a fireworks show without the noise. Silent explosions light the darkness; Lee’s pounding heartbeat and rasping breaths provide the soundtrack.

His hand, pressed against the pinprick hole in his suit, trembles from the effort and soon his arm is shaking as well. There will be no rescue, he realizes, though Dee keeps calling for his position. He will die here, alone in the darkness; there will be no more agonizing choices, no more decisions about who Lee Adama is.

Then he realizes that she will die too, alone on Cain’s bridge.

“I’m sorry, Kara,” he whispers.

Re: Fireworks

[kdbleu.livejournal.com]

The shaking arm is lovely. It makes me think of Kara holding out her gun to shoot Cain, whether you meant it to or not.

Cats

[mserrada.livejournal.com]

Gazing across at Apollo, a grin lifted Starbuck’s lips. She’d done it. Got something right. Placing her palm against the inside of her canopy, she watched as Lee mirrored her from his.

It’d been a close call; their interlocked Vipers barely clearing the closing bay doors before Galactica jumped.

As the combat high released it’s hold, Kara’s hands fell to her lap and she clenched them, trying to still the shaking that rose upwards along cramping arms to her chest.

He’d almost died. She thought he had once already. What about next time?

Cats have nine lives, right?

Two down.

Re: Cats

[kdbleu.livejournal.com]

Placing her palm against the inside of her canopy, she watched as Lee mirrored her from his.

Thsi is such a nice image.

Discipline

[callmeonetrack.livejournal.com]

“Anyone care to tell me what the FRAK THAT WAS OUT THERE?!” Starbuck thundered from the podium, scowling angrily even as her chest swelled with pride. They were coming along. She might make real pilots out of ‘em yet.

“This isn’t your frakking third-grade dance recital, boys and girls! One wrong move and your ass is dust! Launch again in 30.”

She sauntered over to the hatch, where Lee was shaking his head, smirking.

“Harsh, Starbuck, Harsh.”

“Not like I broke out the paddle.” She shrugged.

His eyebrows rose. “You have a paddle?”

Kara winked. “Wanna be teacher’s pet, Apollo?”

Re: Discipline

[kdbleu.livejournal.com]

Ah! Love it!

mixing prompts

[anamarya.livejournal.com]

I didn't wrote anything except work related papers and comments/reviews in a long-long time but you all kind of made me feel guilty for not throwing something into the mix. if i do recall correctly the rule said 100, no more, no less. so here goes nothing...

'Last time I saw you, I promised you a weekend coffee date but mark my words… if you pay any kind of attention to Helo when speaking about that second banana and the stupid third grade recital I’m not coming back, Apollo’
'Come on Kara, it’s not like this puts your life upside down or anything. It’s been a long time since our last anniversary and that that no fireworks to speak of. At least this third time might be with charm. We could do a flat spin'
’Nop, no amount of training can prepare the nuggets for that image'


p.s. don't throw vegetables/potted flowers at me if its not making any-kind of sense.

Re: mixing prompts

[kdbleu.livejournal.com]

Very clever!

[ddt73.livejournal.com]

Thought I'd give this a try. Never did this before. Hope it's okay. It's sad.

*******

Today was the fifth anniversary of Kara’s vanishing.

Lee was alone. Preferred it that way. He had too much heartache to think about loving anyone else again.

He thought he loved Gianne, but left her to die on Caprica carrying his child.

He loved Dee, but never truly gave her his heart. She died by her own hands. He failed her too.

Kara he loved unequivocally. They wasted so much time, cause of denial, anger or foolishness.

When he thought it might finally be their time, she disappeared into thin air.

Perhaps the gods were punishing him for his sins.

[scifishipper.livejournal.com]

That's really good, Dave. Thank you. *sobs*

[wand3rlust.livejournal.com]

Thought I'd give it a shot since I never have before! :)It was much harder than it looked. I'll go back and read all the others this afternoon.


------------------------------

She’s feeling punchy. Everyone and everything is buzzing. She sits on a canister in the main corridor and stares at the blinding fluorescent light hoping her brain might be fooled into thinking it’s daytime. She blinks hard shaking away sleep, her eyes desperate for momentary relief.

“STARBUCK!” she hears and she’s falling back. Her eyes fly open and her arms reach out as she tries to catch herself. Lee is standing over her grinning. Her heart pounds with adrenaline and she laughs understanding, finally feeling awake for the first time in hours. It’s been 3 days since the Cylon attacks.

[kdbleu.livejournal.com]

Oh, I like this very much. It's a fun challenge.