Download the Book - Islam and Science Fiction

"The med staff recommended you for another six months
downtime. What the hell are you doing back?"
"Shit! I thought medical files were confidential!"
"Read your contract."
I hunched my shoulders uncomfortably.
"Med leave is half pay. Can't afford it."
"Maybe you can't afford not to."
I didn't answer. Geir sighed.
"Look, Mike, after I demobbed I got a real case of the PT's. I was
smooth all those years under fire, but back home I started getting
nightmares, flashbacks--everything. Scared hell out of my family. I
ended up bunking in the Post Trauma ward for five months."
"I didn't know," I said, startled. Geir always seemed so much in
control.
"I'm just saying maybe you should try it."
"I'll be OK," I told him, stubbornly. "Anyway, I'm talking to
somebody. Twice a week. I'm fine."
"I hope so. I can't afford a case of PT's up here, Mike, especially
a watch boss. I'm telling you straight that if you give me headaches,
I'll replace you in mid-shift and you'll have to eat the performance
fines."
"I'm OK," I repeated, trying to sound convincing. I leaned back in
the chair, wishing it tilted like Ben's. Geir pushed aside his tray.
"So you just walked out on witness duty."
"Look, I don't have a problem killing most of the viral shits we got
up here. But Pajit is different."
Geir made a sour face.
"Different, yeah, he's a goddamned nightmare and I'll be glad to
get rid of him. He's useless up here. No skills. And too young.
Every horny con has been shagging him. We've had to put him in
solitary twice to heal up."
"Ben says it's a false conviction."
"I heard."
"So what're you doing about it?"
Geir glared at me.
"I protested when he was sent up and I protested the execution
order. HQ took it 'under advisement.' So I tried climbing rank and I
was told flat to shut up. That's all I can do."
"You could refuse."
"On what grounds?"
"I don't know! Something!"
"Uh huh." He drummed on his coffee mug. "We're not breaking
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