Chapter 54: PTSD<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Secure communications:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
From: Colonial Fleet Headquarters.\nAdmiral Andrew Cobb<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To: Commander Maria Ramirez. Commander\nBattlestar Saturn<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Re: Status Commander Eva Lawson<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We are in receipt of the debriefing of\nthe Commando force. We have received nothing on the status of\nCommander Lawson.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Please send complete medical and\npsychological profile to this office immediately. We need to plan\nfurther operations. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Regards,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Admiral Andrew Cobb<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Commander Ramirez thew the printout\ninto the garbage. \u201cFrakking pencil pusher,\u201d she barked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhat’s her medical status Doctor\nJameson?\u201d \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cShe has 4 broken ribs, a sprained\nwrist, bumps and bruises. She was sexually assaulted, and brutally\nbeaten.\u201d The middle aged man with white hair, was speaking from\nmemory, not looking at the chart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhen are we going to get her back?\nI’ve kind of got something to do here.\u201d \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cCan’t really tell,\u201d Jameson\nanswered. \u201cShe might have PTSD.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
* * *<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Cory Brooks was making a nuisance of\nherself in Admiral Cobb’s office. She had used civilian authority\nnormally only held by the president to appoint Cobb. She considered\nhim her ‘kept’ Admiral. He was not acting very much like he owed her\nanything.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhat’s the problem here,\u201d she\nasked? \u201cLawson is either the commander or she’s not.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cCommander Ramirez is refusing to\nprovide any information on her condition.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAll of us saw the proof of life\nvideo.\u201d Brooks folded her arms. \u201cAren’t you planning a major \noperation Admiral?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI am,\u201d he walked with a cane and\nunsteadily at that. \u201cWe have fresh intel and a real shot at tanking\nthe Cylon’s fuel supply. Our hack of their network indicates that\nthey may have been forced to take forty base stars out of the hunt\nfor Galactica and Pegasus.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhy aren’t you ordering the strike?\u201d\nBrooks demanded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBecause I take a long term view to\nthis war. I need Commander Ramirez taking over the Saturn and\nstarting the process of taking three hundred nuggets and making them\ninto viper pilots.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cCan we win the war now if we further\ndecrease their fuel supplies?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYes Madame Executive.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThen lets leave Ramirez on Mercury,\nthey are according to your justification for her promotion doing a\ngreat job. Lets take a step to win the war today.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThat video concerns me. It could\ndisrupt that crews focus. That could lead to a disastrous outcome.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cEveryone knew she was a slut for the\npast 15 years. The Cylons are trying to exploit that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cA situation like this could break a\ncrew.\u201d Cobb’s hand was shaking badly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThis intelligence is fresh yes?\u201d\nBrooks pressed her point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt is verified by reconnaissance?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYes Madame Executive.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIf we wait too long might we miss\nthis opportunity?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYes but our forces are damaged and\ndepleted from 4 weeks of high operational tempo.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWin this war Admiral,\u201d Brooks\nwarned, \u201cor I will find an Admiral who will. Even if that Admiral\nis named Lawson.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYes Sir\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI never got this military protocol\nthing,\u201d Brooks said as she briskly got up and left the room. He was\nonce again a ‘kept’ Admiral, obeying her wishes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
* * *<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Commander Maria Ramirez was alone with Commander Eva Lawson who stared into space and showed no signs of awareness. Her eyelids shut once in a while, but there was no getting through to her. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The former IT LT (Lieutenant) as she\nthought of herself held Lawson’s hand and squeezed it firmly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou take as much time as you need\ncommander.\u201d Lawson did not respond. An NCO handed Ramirez a\nprintout of some fleet communications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Secure communications:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
From: Colonial Fleet Headquarters.\nAdmiral Andrew Cobb<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To: Commander Maria Ramirez. Commander\nBattlestar Saturn<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Re: Status Commander Eva Lawson<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Four fleet attack plan \u201cDelta\u201d is\nordered to commence at 11:00. Check intelligence briefing Sierra for\njump coordinates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Good Hunting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Regards,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Admiral Andrew Cobb<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhat time is it now?\u201d Ramirez\nasked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c1030 Sir\u201d the NCO replied.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ramirez dropped her mentor’s hand on\nthe bed. \u201cWhat the frak? Get ready for combat jump. Set condition\none.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cPilots are in the ready room Sir,\u201d\nthe NCO noted before taking her leave.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ten minutes later, Ramirez was in the\npilot ready room. There was a conference call on the monitor showing\nthree other flagship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe have 4 targets,\u201d Ramirez said.\n\u201cThe last four Cylon gas stations in the sector. If we take them\nout, the Cylon presence in the colonies will be crippled. Don’t\nexpect this to b a turkey shoot. The toasters know we are coming and\nthey know our strategic objective. The future of this war depends on\nthe outcome. Good Hunting.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe jump at 11:00|!\u201d Ramirez said\nfirmly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
* * *<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAlpha fleet is on the scene. We see\nthe target moving to attack formation. Launching vipers.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe they have defenses up! Do we\nabort?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNegative, engage target. Evade\nfirst.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe got base stars!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cPrepare for withdrawal. Lets see if\nwe can hit the target on the way out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHeracles locking on main guns!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cValkyrie one locking on main guns!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOrion one has a firing solution.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cValkyrie two has em in our sites.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAtlas one firing solution.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSplash one base star.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cCAG! We are taking heavy fire.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cFiring on the refinery!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNo joy no joy!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe re taking heavy fire!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cObjective destroyed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cRecall all vipers! Combat landings\nare authorized!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
* * *<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mercury Group \u201cStrike\nforce gamma\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A special tension filled the air aboard\nthe Mercury as this strike against Cylon Tylium refining capacity was\nsupposedly going to cripple their fleet and lead to more strikes\nsimilar to those done against idled ships, parked in rows due to\nfleet starvation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Word has also spread that Commander\nLawson was safely aboard in sick bay. Crew morale was at an all time\nhigh. Everybody wanted to get this raid over with and come up with an\nexcuse to visit her in sick bay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While the entire fleet prepared to\njump, there was excited chatter all over the warship. \u201cDid you see\nthat video tape?\u201d One gun maintenance technician asked another\nmember of the same crew.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI saved a copy on my tablet bud. That was too good to send into the bit bucket.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n