Gullins lay back with her eyes closed and totally missed the incident with the book. She did catch some of what Reinfeldt said to the LT, and forced her eyes open to look. Suddenly it came together. "You... You're PD? Oh fuck. Sorry Ma'am, Fleet PDs ... operate different. My papers..." She pulled them from her pocket. "I'm supernumerary to fleet, and I saw action..." She suppressed a shudder, resisted the temptation to take another pill. "Hand-to hand, on the bridge of the Roger... Comm-tech first class Gullins, Ma'am. Long live the Emperor!"<br/><br/>She said it softly, but with intensity. Gullins was no card carrying party member, but she was bridge crew and in communications. Her profile was first rate, her loyalty impeccable. She had passed positive vetting once every six months, and there was nothing in her record that could even be considered a smudge, let alone a blemish, until now, when she had applied to join an infantry scout platoon, in order to lay the ghosts that kept her awake at night.<br/><br/>She smiled lopsidedly at the pretty, if obviously butch, political officer. "I hope everything is in order, Ma'am?"