"Admiral," Doctor Cottle greeted as he pulled the curtain closed to the exam room. The Admiral was sitting in the table in one of the unfashionable sick bay gowns. Cottle got a distinct feeling of déjà vu as he pictured Laura when she's first come to him about her cancer. He shook it off, realizing that it wasn't Laura sitting in front of him.
"Doctor Cottle," Cain asked, her voice uneasy.
"Can you tell me why you waited so long to report that your back pain was worse?" Cottle inquired
"Yes, I would mind. It's none of your business."
"Well that pinched nerve is doing you more harm then good. You said that the pain is more intense now?"
"Yes," Cain nodded.
"Well I don't to have to say this, but I don't know how much longer you can put off surgery," Cottle admitted. "I would normally recommend it to relieve the pain but given the location and how deeply the nerve is compressed, I can't recommend it. If we manage to repair the damage, there is an eighty percent chance that you will end up paralyzed."
"Those aren't good odds."
"Says the officer that ordered a blind jump."
"I can't do this," Cain said. "I can't afford to take leave for an operation and possibly more if my spine gets damaged."
"I'm not saying you have to do it right away Admiral," Cottle said. "But your back is getting worse. To be completely honest I am surprised your doctor on Tauron didn't recommend surgery immediately after the accident."
"He thought it would go away on its own in a few days, when I went back after a week, he prescribed some corticosteroids, which I have been taking since but they aren't helping anymore."
"There's really no other alternative that I can offer you, accept a back brace to help alleviate the pain. But I wish you would consider the surgery."
She was starting to remind him of Roslin. When he had told her that she had six months left, he advocated putting her on diloxin, but she'd refused. Just what he needed, another stubborn woman to replace the one they were losing.
"Thank you Doctor," Cain dismissed. "You've given me a lot to think about."
"Get dressed Admiral," he ordered as he stepped back through the curtain, closing it behind him to allow her some privacy.
Cain nodded as she retrieved her uniform form one the Life Station chair and began to dress herself. When she finished cladding herself in her uniform she stepped out from behind the curtain to see two marines standing in front of another curtain across the room.
"Excuse me," she inquired. "What's behind that curtain?"
"The President of the Colonies, sir," one of the guards volunteered.
"Really? Can I see her?"
"The Commander has given us strict orders only to let authorized personnel see her," one of the marines reported.
"I am the commanding officer of this fleet," the Admiral said. "I am sure those regulations don't apply to me."
"She is the highest ranked officer in the fleet," the other marine mentioned.
"Okay," the second marine nodded as he stepped aside. "Only for a few minutes sir."
"Thank you," Cain agreed as she stepped through the curtain. The pain in her back was returning and she doubled over slightly as she walked into the President's makeshift hospital room. She glanced at the form lying in the bed as she stood upright and walked to the foot of the bed.
This is what Adama calls "taken ill," she thought as she took in the ventilator and monitors surrounding the small body. For a moment she wondered what he thought near death looked like. Wearily she looked at the chart at the foot of the bed, she identified the patient as Laura Roslin and quickly scanned the medical history for any other pertinent information. Seeing all that she needed to see, Cain put the chart back in its proper place just in time for another wave of pain to hit her. As the muscles around her back began to spasm she fell forward, clutching the foot of the President's bed for support.
"Sir?" she heard one of the guards ask.
"I'm alrig…" Cain began as her knee gave out. One of the guards was immediately at her side taking her arm in an attempt to keep her upright.
"Get a wheelchair," he said to the other guard.
"It's really alright Lieutenant."
"Just taking precautions sir."
The other guard returned with a wheelchair and the Lieutenant helped Cain into it. As he was backing away Dr. Cottle came bursting through the curtain.
"What the hell happened?" Cottle said as he realized that the Admiral was sitting in the chair that had just been whisked away by one of the guards.
"Major Cottle, I'm fine," Cain insisted. "My back just acted up again."
"Can you give us a moment," Cottle requested. The guards left him and the Admiral with President Roslin. "I really wish you would consider the surgery. If your back gives out like this when you're in CIC…"
"I appreciate the thought Major," Cain said. "And I'll think about it. But right now I have a battlestar to acclimate into a new environment." She slowly began to push herself out of the chair feeling it roll back as she placed her feet on the ground. "I will take your statements under advisement."
She exited the curtained area, leaving Cottle alone with the President. Letting out an exasperated sigh Cottle turned to the President and smiled at her. "You better wake up soon," Cottle said. "I think you are a more bearable patient than the Admiral."
TBC