PHD #269: Worrisome Wounds
Worrisome Wounds
Summary: After examining the Taurian survivors, Cameron notices some discrepancies that seem important enough to report to Security.
Date: 22 Nov 2041 AE
Related Logs: Enter C-27
Players:
Cameron Vandenberg 
Security Hub - Deck 6 - Battlestar Cerberus
More than just an office for the Marines and their XO, this room has remote surveillance views of the Brigs as well as a state of the art communications center built into the far bulkhead. A locked and heavily armored door to the aft leads into another room, the white lettering on it reading 'ARMORY.' There are a few desks scattered around the room for getting necessary paperwork done and the Commandant's picture hangs on the wall next to one of the President.
Post-Holocaust Day: #269

Getting into the afternoon, Vandenberg has had a lot happening since the arrival of the Five into the brig. She's spent all morning talking to runners and on the phone for a variety of reasons - all having to do with what was found yesterday. The woman looks tired, though, as if she may not have even gotten to sleep last night. She's standing over a desk in the back of the room with a cup of coffee and attempting to tear her way through a stack of old reports stamped 'Classified' across the front.

There's a soft *knockknockknock* against the open door as a pair of Marines pass by Cameron, one hand reaching out to catch the door before it closes again. He's been patiently waiting for hours and hours now, uncertain if what he has to say is really all that important, but the doctor would rather be safe than sorry. He looks tired as well, though perhaps not as tired as the Lieutenant. He waits till Natalie's head raises and then notes formally, "Lt. Vandenberg, I have something to report." The incident back on Aerilon hasn't been aired since they all got back on board the Cerberus. Other than some dark scowling looks from Vandenberg, Cameron hasn't interacted with the Lieutenant till just the day before. Best to keep things strictly professional.

One of the Marines announces the presence of Cameron with a little louder than normal greeting of 'Doc' so people can close up anything that his eyes shouldn't be seeing. Standard fare for civilians coming into duty areas. Vandenberg closes her folder quickly and looks up at the new arrival, tossing the folder onto the desk. "Not sure I can deal with much more at once, Doc. That chatty Cathy last night has the fleet stirrin' somethin' fierce. But let's hear it." She reaches for the coffee.

"It has to do with the Taurian survivors, Lt," Cameron replies quietly as he approaches the desk. "I did an examination of them per your request. They were, as I expected, in worse condition than they suggested but were, regardless, hesitant to allow me to examine them. At first, I thought their reticence had to do with innate pride. But after the examination, I am not so sure." Shaking his head, Cameron rumbles, "Sorry. I know you're tired, so I'll get straight to the point. I found a fair number of old combat wounds. Unsurprising, seeing as how they were fighting Cylons. But what is more worrisome is that I distinctly recall them saying that the Cylons had pulled out four months ago… but some of them had injuries far more recently than that."

Vandenberg takes a sip of the mug, watching Cameron over the other brim as she sips. She doesn't seem to react until the man finishes. "Hot damn. Are you serious?" Its most likely a rhetorical question. "No surprise they didn't want to be examined. I did three years on this planet fighting insurgents. I won't say that I was all able to ignore the things written on those walls, either. Love them or hate them, you can kill the body but their personal pride will live forever." She says and plants her hands on her hips. "Lemme ask you something and be absolutely sure: In your professional opinion, do you believe that these people have been involved in gun battles in the last four months? If so, how recently?"

"Unfortunately I'm not a cop or a Marine or a forensics specialist. I'm not really qualified to make that kind of call. What I can tell you is that one of the men had a bullet wound to the leg. Through and through. It happened less than two weeks ago I would surmise. He 'said' that it was a weapons accident - that someone else's gun discharged and hit him. But he seemed very reluctant to talk about it." Reaching under his arm, Cameron pulls out a file and hands it over to Van. "I wrote up a report, noting by description and name, if I could get it, the condition of the Taurian's that I examined. Much of it is not noteworthy, but I've highlighted the injuries that I found that seemed suspicious or less than four months old."

"Maybe you're not, but you can judge a number of wounds based on age and how close together they are. Get back to me with a number and names when you can." Vandenberg takes the folder and flips it open, frowning at the contents. "Wonderful. Remember what I said in the Raptor about people who clam up? The less they cooperate, the longer its going to take to get them cleared aboard." She sighs. "No, its noteworthy. If these people have been getting into gunfights, we need to know why and very soon. I don't want to think what a bunch of aggressive Taurians would do to the freighter or starboard flight pod." She closes the folder, lifting it and gesturing to Cam, then. "On the other hand, these people may be completely innocent and just guilty of a basic human right: self defense."

Nodding Cameron notes, "Or just high tensions. It's a lot to survive, and if they're all from different groups and territories, they might just be having a hard time adapting and getting along. When you have a clear enemy to face, it's easy to focus and work together. Without that target, anger and tensions are still high, but there's no place to focus them. Makes it easier for squabbles and in-fighting to rise up in the stead of a true enemy. Plus there's the issue of their prisoner. Eddie said something strange… something about "she said keeps saying…" Might be nothing. But clearly the prisoner was a source of great stress, anger, and frustration for them. A powerful catalyst for trouble in and of itself." Cameron's ocean blue eyes rest on the file he's handed over noting, "I did mark those points - basically any injury that seemed like it could be the result of a fight versus just an accident. But it's all guess work really. The difference of a day could be everything, and I can't deduce with high accuracy when most injuries occurred. Just generics."

"Hittin' the nail on the head over and over, Doc. I know what you mean." Vandenberg nods and reaches for the mug once more. "I don't know what all Eddie said but I recall pretty well what that five said. And I remember that damned smug look on her face. She has to know things won't go nicely for her on this ship. Its unsettling like a laxative. I don't trust it and the more I think about it, the less I trust Mister Taim for now." A sip at the mug and she sets it back down. "Keep your eyes open Doc and ask questions. Don't talk about the skinjob unless they bring it up. I saw you get hackles last night with Wolfe. Just be cool and see what comes up. For now the priority is figuring out why these people have been shot so recently. I'll pass it on to the Master at Arms, though. Highly appreciated."

Nodding quietly, Cameron's gaze goes a little introspective at the mention of the Cylon. "It's the first skinjob I've seen, let alone 'met'," Cameron concurs. "She…. she definitely does not bring out the best in me, and I'm normally a fairly peaceful person. I can't imagine what being around her for months on end would do." Nodding again at her instructions, orders?, advice?, Cameron repeats, "Right. No talking about the skinjob, keep my eyes open. Got it." A small smile, just barely one, touches his lips at her roundabout 'thank you', the doctor replying, "You're welcome, Lieutenant. I realize you're busy and tired. I won't take up any more of your time…" And with that Cameron turns and heads out, his duty, for the moment, done at least.

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