"Intelligence reports put Unalaq in Delta Quadrant." Izumi says without preamble. "It looks like he's been keeping away from planetary systems for a while, but our outpost near Alpha Daedalus picked up several large unregistered transport ships entering the system."

"That's dumb," Kuvira declares scornfully. "He had to know we were watching for something like that."

Wei cleared his throat. "Most people don't know about our new scanners," he reminds her with a wink at Asami, who had helped enhance the technology. "He probably thought he was out of range."

"Splitting up that much contraband would be hard to manage," Izumi adds. "And it's unclear that he has that many people helping him."

I shake my head. "His networks were pretty extensive, though I'm not sure what story he'd sell to get people on board. It's not like you can use the weapons he's got to rob a bank."

"Blackmail," Saikhan grunts. "Give us everything you've got or we level the planet."

"Might work for some," I muse, "but I'm betting at most he's only got a couple or so of his old crew. It's a big jump from criminal enterprises to outright rebellion."

"Mercenaries can always be bought," Kuvira mutters. "We've certainly seen our share of that over the years. Pay 'em enough and they'll do just about anything."

"We're moving into speculation at this point," Izumi says sharply. "Regardless of who's involved and why, we need to send strike now while he thinks he's secure in his hiding place, and before he can launch against highly populated systems." She gives me a stern look. "How soon can you be ready?"

I shrug one shoulder. "Two days at best. We need at least one test flight to fully shake out the new systems."

Carefully left unsaid was the fact that we had the systems installed at all and that Asami was using them as an excuse to come along, with Izumi's collusion. All my experience screamed at me that this was too risky a mission, that we needed to take more time to prepare. I met the Admiral's gaze; she knew exactly what I was thinking.

We both knew there really wasn't any other choice.

—

To my grudging surprise the new systems worked without a hitch. The Bitches and I ran our fighters hard through the Asteroid Belt, our standard testing ground for pilots and machines, and broke the current speed record by almost sixty percent. I was never going to hear the end of this.

After landing I climbed out of the cockpit to a very smug Asami Sato, standing at the launch pad with her arms crossed and one eyebrow raised in expectation. I held out for all of about fifteen seconds, and broke when Kuvira started laughing at me sour expression.

"Okay, fine, yes, the response and speed upgrades are fucking awesome, you bitch." I swung her around in my arms and kissed her soundly as she squealed in protest.

"That's Doc Bitch to you, Avatar," she scolded me as I set her down. She then gave me a hard slap to the ass as she turned to go talk to Wei and Wing, the twins huddled gleefully over a lot of apparently exciting readouts.

Fucking nerds.

"So," Opal shoved me with one shoulder. "What does she get for proving she's more awesome than you?"

"I'm thinking handcuffs are involved." Jinora says with a smirk. "Maybe blindfolds."

I roll my eyes. "Don't you two get enough sex already without speculating about us?"

"Ha!" Kuvira laughs. "As if."

I see Izumi standing in the hanger doorway and pull the Bitches along to see her. We pull up and snap out our salutes.

"Status?"

"Systems shake out successful, Admiral," I report. "We're ready to go."

She nods, her face impassive before I see a small smirk emerge. "What was your time in the Belt?"

Opal beamed. "New record! Eight minutes, twenty-six seconds."

"Not bad, pilot, not bad," Izumi muses, her eyes twinkling suspiciously. "However, that's not a new record."

We all stare at her.

"Previous course record was over twenty minutes!" Jinora splutters.

Kuvira narrows her eyes. "Your course record, as I recall."

Izumi nods pleasantly. "Yes, until earlier this morning." At our blank looks, she continues. "While you were all at the mess hall, I took another upgraded fighter out for a spin. Ran the Belt in seven minutes, fifty-one seconds."

There's a long silence, then Kuvira bursts out laughing. "You sly old dog!"

I grit my teeth. "Asami help you with that, too?"

"Of course." Izumi waved one hand lazily over her shoulder as she turned and left. "Rank does have it's privileges, after all."

—

I roll over and collapse onto my back, chest heaving as I struggle to catch my breath. Beside me Asami stretches with a low moan as her muscles protest at the movement.

"So," she says finally, her voice hoarse from a fair amount of screaming. "That's angry sex."

"Guess so," I reply. "I've never actually had it before, but it seemed to meet the criteria — screaming fights, thrown objects, furiously hard fucking, that sort of thing."

"Mmmm," she hums before turning and snuggling against me. "Thank you for only throwing pillows, though."

"And one coffee mug," I remind her, now feeling a little mournful. "Sorry about the dent in the wall."

She shrugs and sighs, her breath warm against my skin. "Considering it was your mug and you threw it before I was even in the room I think I can find it to forgive you. No blood, no foul."

"I would never throw anything like that at you," I say grumpily.

She chuckles. "I'm sorry I helped Izumi keep her record." Her arm tightens around me. "I'm not sorry I'm coming with you. You know I can't not go, anymore than you can't."

I blow out my breath, trying to ignore the threatening sting of tears. "I know."

She's quite for a moment. "I love you, Korra."

I roll both of us other until I can look down at her beautiful green eyes, so intent and luminous within her flawless face. Those eyes have always shown so much of her — her curiosity about the world, her delight in her creations, her constant steely resolve for what's right, and always so, so much love and affection, such as I can never feel like I deserve, but for which I'm grateful on a daily basis.

I dip my head down to her again, but there's no anger now, only softness and warmth. She responds in kind, her lips moving so gently against mine, her fingertips sliding up my back, a trail of goosebumps left in their wake.

"I love you, too." I whisper. "My beautiful, brilliant Asami."

Notes: Next up: "We are go for launch"