"Someone's got to keep them in line, after all," Una agreed, also joking. She sighed a little, amused. "It's not like me, really, to try and blame all my problems on one group—be it gender, nationality, creed ... But sometimes it feels good to do it, even if only for a little while."

Her fingers traced over Starbuck's knuckles, the strong tendons along the back of the hand, and then up over the bones of the wrist.