Executive Officer, Colonel Alec Sarkis, Commits Suicide
by Sawyer Averies
With the human race carved down to a precious pocket of existence, it is a suicide that rocks the foundation of the survivors. The Battlestar Cerberus has suffered a great loss after a tormented soul has lost his battle with Erebus and given himself over to darkness.
On 13 Mar 2041, Master Sergeant James Barclay and Captain Dominic Gabrieli gathered in the quarters of the Executive Officer, Colonel Alec Sarkis, to join him for dinner and a report review at his behest. They instead were met with the distinct smell of alcohol permeating the XO's cabin and broken glass littering the floor. While the offer for a clean-up crew was declined, Sarkis continued on with seemingly unrelated conversation as to the recent tragedies surrounding accidental deaths aboard the ship.
At the point that Gabrieli and Barclay were going to remove themselves from this uncomfortable situation, a device was detonated on the hatch securing the three inside. The alcohol was used as an incendiary device by Sarkis, who armed with a lighter, took his life in a most gruesome and tortured way. While a fire team was called for, due to the jammed hatchway, there was no possible way for Sarkis to be rescued from his own intentions nor Barclay who succumbed to smoke inhalation. Both perished in the fire, as well as one of the rescue team Chief Petty Officer Micah Twitch.
The official word is that Colonel Alec Sarkis suffered from a mental breakdown and committed suicide and caused the death of two innocent bystanders. Sarkis had been reported to be an 'eccentric' individual, and was recently removed from duty by Rear Admiral Michael Abbot pending a psychological review.
While the ash can be swept away, the char on the hearts of the crew will remain. Alec Sarkis was a well liked individual, who served the Colonial Military proudly with a clean jacket for many years now only marred by his final tragic act.
(penned at the bottom: Sorry, Michael. I know you asked me to paint this in as best of a light as possible. But even I can't churn out miracles. I await any revisions. ~Sawyer)