<strong>Cabel Bellar<br/>CIC<br/>Battlestar <em>Ares</em></strong><br/><br/>"I don't have a doctorate."  The response was more automatic than anything.  Many of the crew assumed he had earned a PhD.  Flattering, but Cabel would never forgive himself for false pride.  He looked around the CIC as the Commander grabbed the chair.  It was all sleek metal and flashing screens, scurrying crew and anxious faces.  He had been up here once before, on the day the<em>Ares</em>began its shakedown, to meet the brass.  Not much had changed.<br/><br/>When the Commander offered the seat, Cabel took it without thinking.  Normally he'd force himself to stand, but today...  He thought back to the extra pills he had taken in his bunk.  Today he needed every comfort he could get.  No, that wasn't right. Cabel rolled the cane between his hands, then stood.  Today was the worst day for small comforts.  Tough times were ahead.  Might as well start enduring now.<br/><br/>"It's actually better if I lean," he lied, pushing the chair back to the console with his cane.<br/><br/><em>"How is the new gun workin with the Viper?"</em><br/><br/>Cabel figured that the VAFIC was why he was up here.  It was the only reason he was on the Battlestar.<em>It's the only reason I'm still alive.</em><br/><br/>"The VAFIC, commander?"  He sounded slightly confused.  He had expected it, but it still struck him as an odd question this soon after the news had hit.  He figured the old man would have more important matters to handle first.  Maybe he had already taken care of them.  "The prototype has been working fine throughout the shakedown, sir.  One of the flight crew fra-- er, improperly attached it to Mako's Viper all earlier, and it was damaged in flight.  We still have 49 more on board the Battlestar, however."<br/><br/>Cabel's mouth was dry by the time he finished.  Not from the pain; that he was used to.  But he couldn't hold back the question any longer.  "Commander, do you know anything about Aquarius?  Heim?"