****Homeworlds Planetary Defense****
		     Department of the ExoFleet
_____________________________________________________________Official Copy___

From:	Rhodes, Karen H, MD, Lieutenant, SSN # 0-1208 U903-66
	Acting Medical Officer, EFS Normandy
To:	Henry, Adrian C., Captain, Commanding Officer, EFS Normandy
CC:	Xanatos, Jonathan, Commander, Executive Officer, EFS Normandy

Subj:	Mission Debriefing - Events surrounding the hostile occupation of the
	EFS Glory on Enceladus

	Per your instructions, I have recorded my memories of the events
leading up to, including, and following the hostile occupation of the EFS
Glory. This includes the circumstances surrounding the deaths of Lt. Alan B.
Wilson, pilot and mission commander, Lt. (jg) Darren C. Gerald, co-pilot and
gunner, and Lt. (jg) James R. Little, RN.

	During the battle with the pirates, a fusion pack explosion injured
most of the members of the Baker-Two jumptroop platoon. Captain Tom Jose of
the Sierra-Three platoon requested evacuation and additional medical
personnel in light of the multiple serious injuries suffered by the Baker-Two
platoon. I assigned Lt. (jg) Little and myself to the evacuation mission
aboard the EFS Glory. Our mission objective was to evacuate the jumptroops of
the Baker-Two and Sierra-Three platoons off the surface of Enceladus and
return to the EFS Normandy.

	The Glory launched from the EFS Normandy at 15:23 and landed at the
designated coordinates on Enceladus at 15:41. While Lt. (jg) Little and
myself were unpacking medical equipment, Lt. Wilson prepared to open the bay
doors of the shuttle. They were surprised by the presence of four pirates in
the shuttle. Lt. (jg) Little attempted to draw his sidearm and was shot in
the shoulder by the pirate leader, Hurral. Nobody else attempted resistance
at that time.

	After the pirates pressurized the shuttle the four of us were
searched for weapons and forced to kneel with our hands behind our heads
under guard. Hurral's second-in-command, named Cynan, soon discovered that
Lt. Wilson or Lt. (jg) Gerald had locked down the shuttle's engines by
resetting the main engine start sequence. Hurral attempted to coerce the
pilots into giving him the code by physically assaulting Lt. (jg) Little,
executing him, and then continuing with the physical assault on myself.

The injuries incurred during this interrogation include the following:
concussion, fractured zygomatic arch, fractured 6th, 7th, and 8th ribs,
contusions of the liver and left kidney, fractured 4th and 5th phalanges of
the right hand, and multiple contusions and lacerations from blunt trauma. To
stop continued assault, Lt. Wilson gave Hurral a code. The code seemed to
allow the pirates into the computer system. Satisfied they had access to the
main engines, Hurral ordered his second-in-command to execute the prisoners
with the exception of myself. During the course of the assault my medical
glove was discovered and its function ascertained. My life was to be spared
so that I might be brought to their base and the medical technology studied
and implemented.

After executing Lt. (jg) Gerald it was discovered that the code was false.
Hurral proceeded to assault Lt. Wilson while his second-in-command took me to
the back of the shuttle to provide medical care for a fifth pirate, injured
during their surreptitious entrance into the shuttle. This fifth pirate was
already dead, apparently from electrical shock. When the pirate stepped close
to me I activated my surgical laser and cut his right arm, then injected 5%
kavacaine into his right wrist, numbing his hand. I kneed him in the groin
and hit him over the head. He appeared to be unconscious, and I confiscated
his firearm.

I heard a shot from the front of the shuttle which I presumed to be Hurral
executing Lt. Wilson. I obtained a helmet from a nearby rack of engineering
worksuits. While attempting to activate emergency decompression I was
attacked by the pirate once more, losing control of the blaster. During the
struggle I was able to hit the emergency decompression sequence. In the
ensuing decompression I was trapped by the rack of worksuits which fell on
me. The pirate, I assume, somehow escaped the shuttle undetected. I was
discovered by the jumptroops of the Sierra-Three platoon as they secured the
shuttle. One of their troopers overrode the lockdown and after the injured
and dead were loaded onboard and secured, we launched and returned to the EFS
Normandy.

I later learned from the jumptroops that it appeared the pirates had gained
access to the shuttle through manipulation of the aft hatch, at which time
one of the five pirates was killed. During the successful jumptroop assault
three pirates were killed by blaster fire. The bodies of Lt. Wilson, Lt. (jg)
Gerald, and Lt. (jg) Little were found, all killed by a single blaster shot
to the head. The whereabouts of the fifth pirate are unknown.

I hereby attest under oath to the accuracy and veracity of these events.

						Lt. Karen H. Rhodes, MD
						Acting Medical Officer
						EFS Normandy

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Personal Log, Lt. Karen Rhodes, MD
Time: 23:44

After a day like this, where do I start? I guess the best place is at the
beginning...

This morning I reviewed my report with the Board, which consisted of Captain
Henry, Commander Xanatos, and Lt. Commander O'Bannon. They had no idea what
kind of coward stood before them. I lied of course. Lies of omission. Of
deflection. I was shaking so hard they asked if I would like to sit. Lt.
Commander O'Bannon was particularly solicitous.

They thought I was shaking because of the remembered trauma. I guess that was
part of it, yes, but mostly I was shaking because I was irrevocably
condemning myself to a lifetime of lies. Even if nobody ever finds out what
really happened on Enceladus, I will still know. I can hardly look any of
them in the eye. Not the captain or the XO, or O'Bannon, who has had as much
honor and glory as any other. Heck, I can barely even look at Cookie, who
lost an entire limb but keeps coming back for more.

Rafael told me yesterday they should give me a medal for being wounded in
combat. Hah! They should stand me against the bulkhead and shoot.

After I finished covering up my cowardice for all posterity, I came back to
my quarters and threw up for ten minutes. That was the high point of my day
today.

I didn't kill anybody today in sick bay (always a bonus), but we were all
missing James. I don't think I really appreciated what a good guy he was.
Hard-working, and a great nurse, but I didn't think about his ever-present
friendly smile until it was gone. That's very sad. As the only survivor of
the Glory, and as his supposed superior officer (yeah, right), I sat down
today to write a letter to his parents. It was one of the most difficult
things I have ever done. I found out he has a brother named John over on the
Carthage. (John Little. Go figure.) I'm going to have to talk to him over
the comm tomorrow, if I can. If it still matters.

Just to twist the knife a bit, I also wrote letters to the families of Lts.
Wilson and Gerald. I couldn't say much about them as men, except that they
both died bravely. More than I can say about myself.

After my shift ended, I came back to my quarters and started on my
resignation. I finally figured out that ExoFleet isn't for me. I hate the
military lifestyle, the constant roller-coaster of stress and boredom, and
most of all I hate knowing the fact that gravity could cut out at any moment.
I only wish that I'd had this revelation four months ago when I signed on the
dotted line. I endanger everybody by being here. What if I'm taken again?
What will I offer my captors next time?

Well, all that has changed. My letter of resignation was interrupted by our
arrival at Tethys, the main pirate base. I went to sick bay - at least I can
do something decent there, but we had no casualties. At least, not here. I
was reporting our status to Commander Xanatos when the call came through from
Earth. He forgot to turn off the link. I will never forget.

The Neosapiens have taken the Homeworlds. Not like the gut-driven,
bare-handed revolt of fifty years ago. No, this was well-armed and
well-planned. Phaeton, the Neosapien Governor of Mars, has swiftly and
ruthlessly overwhelmed what military forces were left on Earth. I can only
imagine what it must have been like for the civilian populace. Fifty years
ago the Neosapiens revolted against their virtual slavery, but that revolt
was mainly confined to Venus and Mars. This time, Earth is right at the
center.

Even now the Normandy is speeding toward Earth at full thrust. Unfortunately,
each hour we lag further and further behind the ExoCarriers, who can eke an
additional 20% more thrust out of their engine reactors. By the time we
reach Earth tomorrow, the battle will be over. Either we will mop up, or we
will be throwing ourselves into the jaws of the Neosapien fleet, rumored to
be twice as large as our own at full strength.

Nobody is saying much about it here on the Normandy, but tempers are running
hot. Since 16:00 today I've been called to sick bay five times to patch up
brawlers. I guess everybody has to let off steam somehow.

As for me, I decided this was as close to an emergency as you can get. I ate
that chocolate bar at 21:15. I'm off to bed now, at least until they call me
with the next round of fights.

						Lt. Karen Rhodes, MD

I wonder what has become of my father. Deep inside, I think I know he's dead.
My father is no coward. KHR

-----------------------End Log------------------------