Seeker
Part Three of
the Mailman Saga
by Chaoseternus
The Vipers I sent out on probe are overdue.
Indeed, they have passed the limit, I told them the Battlestar would leave after they were ten hours overdue and so far, they are fifteen hours overdue, I should not really have waited this long, doing so risks my ship, but I hate the thought of leaving the few people I have behind, not a single body can be spared.
But I must.
Four more pilots I must declare lost, and mourn.
Worst, I do so knowing that whilst the Cylons are most likely the cause of their fate, it's unlikely we will even know what truly happened to them. Missing In Action, the most hated fate for any person because it always leaves that hope, and that hope can be fatal when it starts to fade.
Still, with heavy heart, I order Seeker to jump into the gulf, I have no choice but to leave those pilots behind even as I know the move might destroy us.
Morale is low, dangerously so, the crew is depleted and overworked, the ship damaged, the destruction of the colonies, the effects of the cylon boarding actions, the loss off the senior staff, the mutiny…
The Seeker is not a happy ship.
Sure, morale was boasted by the meagre evidence that another battlestar might be active, but having no further proof just meant that when the crew crashed off that high, they crashed hard.
I must work the crew hard, I have no choice, I have far too few to maintain anything resembling normal watch rotations, but many no longer have the energy, bad morale and strict food rationing are taking their toll. Water is not so much of an issue which helps, our water purification plants are far better then Colonial Military standard and topping up from any icy rock we find is easy enough, if somewhat time consuming.
Truth be told, my grasp over this ship, perhaps it would be better to say our grasps over ourselves our slipping and unless something changes soon we will die, and it will not be the cylons who kill us it will be apathy, a total inability to find the energy to just get up and work.
I don't know what to do about it, during the last war it was not unheard of for Commanders to effectively declare martial law on their crew, using the marines to force the crew to their duties but of all our contingents, the marines are damn near the most depleted, they don't have the numbers and frankly, I would be afraid of the resentment such actions would cause.
Two mutinies in the last war were blamed upon 'inappropriate' use of the marine contingent after all.
Yet, could perhaps this be my fault?
It is a basic principle of command that the crew reflects their Commander. A bad commander, or one who has lost the plot generally means a bad crew, a once great Commander reduced to ruin? A crew desperately trying to cover up their beloved bosses weaknesses.
A Commander with a backbone of steel and a love for his crew? Well, Adama is the best example of that and like him or hate him, everybody knows and respects him, his crew widely regarded as being the most tight and supportive within the fleet.
Or were anyway, Galactica is MIA but given her dated nature and her commander, if any ship was to survive the cylons, it would be her.
Maybe… I just need to set a better example, or at least, try kicking their lazy idle arses into gear.
Okay, I am officially regarded as the most evil Commander since Able was tossed into space by his own crew twenty years ago, an event that resulted in him being officially stricken from the record after the investigation.
They hate me and to be frank, I love it.
They have the energy to hate which is a good start.
I don't think it was me reorganising the ship into a three watch rotation that got me my results though, no I rather suspect it was the enforced exercise regimen and the very loud speakers blasting them out of bed if they're not quick enough.
Or the marines walking around with buckets of freezing cold water…
Okay, it's evil and somewhat infantile, so what?
It's working and that is all that matters.
The crew is becoming far more active, they are working which is definitely a good start, they are becoming fitter which is always helpful, and I am getting, behind my back of course, a solid mixture of evil eyes, rolling eyes, poked out tongues, grumpy glares and bemused, stifled laughter.
Okay, so most of the crew actually realise how childish my actions actually are and are divided, some cant believe it and don't want to and more then a few are amused.
I wonder how long it will take them to figure out exactly how effective my actions actually were.
By that time they should be active enough that I should be able to turn down the volume on the new shift change music. Or perhaps, just switch the head-banger rock to something more relaxing… tortured death screams perhaps.
BSG Pegasus
"Poor kid," Sheba shook her head, her face screaming her dismay and compassion, "she's so young, at that age she shouldn't be in command of a Viper wing let alone a full battlestar"
"Perhaps," Cain nodded, turning away from the window to face his daughter, "but that trick, sending her Vipers though that narrow pathway to probe, genius!"
"Genius for definite," Sheba growled, "Dradis missed them completely, if the CAP hadn't spotted them they could have landed aboard for fraks sake, before we noticed they were there"
Cain grinned, "and if there is one such route into the Colonies, how many others do you think there are? Routes we could, just as Cade was planning to, use to probe undetected, launch attacks, even use to procure crew as Cade certainly intended"
Sheba nodded, "we know of one now but none of the crew have the expertise to figure out the others… either we return to earth to pick up some E&E personnel"
"No," Cain interrupted swiftly, "that we can not do. They would order us to assist the defence and whilst reasonable, I think we can do more good helping to pin more Cylon assets to this area and get in a good lick or two whilst we are at it"
Sheba nodded, continuing, "or we make finding the Seeker a priority, we could use their expertise, not to mention the extra hull and one so well designed for extended unsupported operations and frankly, they need us, our crew mainly but Cade is too young for Command, she will need guidance"
Cain shook his head, " Seeker needs a new CO, I'm afraid I may have to give up you for that role"
"No," Sheba replied firmly, "for one, you have no actual authority over an E&E ship; indeed you have more authority over a civilian then the E&E. The laws were never adequately adapted to suit the existence of a second military force, you know that"
"You have a point," Cain shook his head, "but she has no place being in Command of a Battlestar"
"I disagree," Sheba shook her head, "a senior surviving officer, she has the weight of regulations behind her, age and experience restrictions do not legally apply under emergency conditions, you know that. You also have to remember that the crew is still alive and active, indeed, if those Viper pilots are to be believed, the crew fought to maintain her as Commander against mutineers.
She has their loyalty and if she keeps them alive and still carries out her duty to fight and resist the cylons then you will not be able to argue dereliction, a sticky issue with a loyal crew at the best of times"
Cain smiled, shaking his head. He walked slowly over to his daughter and with an expression of amused affection on his face, hugged her, "you know this is why I keep you around right? In the midst of all this madness, you still manage to keep me honest"
"Keep me around?" Sheba shot back, mock angry, "you just tried to pass me off to another battlestar!"
"Yes," Cain laughed, "but to Command it. Subtly different my dear Sheba"
"Natch," Sheba shook her head as she walked out of her father's quarters, "you just wanted to see the back of me"
"Always!" Cain shot back chuckling.
