Part 6 Battlestar Galactica: Back To The Colonies,: War On The Mountain

Chapter 41

XLI

Sitting in a small cell in the prison area of UED's Caprica City Base was the last place General Catherine Beaumont had thought she would be. Her career was ruined, she was sure. She never in an eternity would have believed that falling for Casey Merril to curb the loneliness many of them felt here, to feel some kind of love, would cost her what she had carefully built over a long, distinguished career.

Yet she knew the charges against her were legitimate. Dereliction of Duty; Failure to Secure Classified Information. That alone would not just strip her of her General's stripes, but she would receive a dishonorable discharge from UED, which would haunt her for the rest of her life.

She knew Casey was in the same prison. She was torn. The General wanted to see the younger woman who had given her so much passion and joy in their love-making, yet wasn't sure if she saw Casey whether she would hold her and kiss her, or choke the life out of her. Love that betrayed a person was worse than a love that simply had died.

There was a knock on her door. General Kendrick Grayson entered the room, an MP on the other side closing the door behind him.

"Hello, Catherine", he said with a small smile. "I just wanted to check up on you."

"I appreciate it, Ken", she said sadly. "I just can't believe any of this." She hadn't really looked at her Commanding Officer to that point but turned to face him fully now. "Sir, I'd have given my very life had none of this occurred."

"I know, Catherine", he said sympathetically. "It's a shitty thing that happened to you. We both know that, but..."

Beaumont nodded. "But I wasn't alert, and let my guard down. I'm so sorry, Ken." Silent tears finally graced her cheeks. "I would trade places with Henrich, Seth and Colonel Abdullah in a heartbeat to correct this."

There was silence for a few moments after that. The disgraced General spoke up again. "Ken, what happens next?"

Grayson shrugged his shoulders. "Admiral Adama will convene a General Court Martial, which is standard procedure. He and Governor Kwok have Plenary authority to render a decision on behalf of UED. They will send their decision on to San Diego for review." He sighed again. "The best I can see-and I don't have any information to go on-is that you'd be reduced in rank, but allowed to be honorably discharged. The worst would be to be Dishonorably discharged and given a prison sentence for at least the trip home."

Beaumont turned away for a moment from her predicament. "I know under UED Military Law that Casey could face the Death Penalty. Is that going to happen?"

Ken could see the genuine concern in her eyes. Even though this lover had betrayed her, it was clear she still felt deeply for the younger woman.

"No", General Grayson said firmly. "I have already advised Lee that I want the Death Penalty removed from consideration. Casey will probably make the trip back to Earth, then be incarcerated for the rest of her life there. But I'm not sure at this point."

"Was it true Ken", Catherine continued with genuine pain on her face, "that she was also seeing a pilot of ours?"

He nodded his head. "Yes, it's true. We've interviewed the pilot, and she knew nothing about any of this. She's as shocked as you are. Her record will stay clean."

Beaumont nodded firmly. "That's good. That's very good. No one else should suffer for this."

"Can I get you anything, Catherine? Anything to make you more comfortable?"

"A nice rib-eye and mashed potatoes would taste good about now", she said with a brief laugh. "But prisoners don't get to choose their meal."

Ken smiled at her. "I think we can make an exception this one time."