NAME AND RANK: Admiral Claudia 'Raven' Sinclair

LIKENESS: Claudia Christian

PERSONALITY:

Although her personal command has been something of a baptism of fire, Sinclair is younger than most stereotypes would have one believe of an Admiral and, perhaps because of this, she is not quite so set in her ways as most. Having had to play the diplomacy game more than once in her life, Claudia also had to learn politics to succeed in her career and, therefore, is open to compromise.

Reasonable in her judgements, she is not afraid to take risks or show ruthlessness, should it be necessary. That does not meant to say, of course, that she is a machine and while the Admiral might be more at home in front of a strategic map, she is no stranger to engagements of a more social nature.

HISTORY:

War is a time for veterans. Peace, for politics.

Beginning her career, like most, as a naval aviator, Claudia 'Raven' Sinclair rose quickly through the ranks. It was true that this was, in part, because of family connections, but also due to an willingness to embrace the new generation of 'net-centric' warfare and a talent for innovation at short notice. This gift proved invaluable in improvising a unique solution for providing logistics for a disaster relief effort on Caprica, for which she received a medal.

Unfortunately, her next private claim to fame was somewhat darker in tone. During the initial stages of a would-be coup, an armed Socialist group took control of the Colonial airfield where Claudia was temporarily stationed. Although relatively well thought out, the operation was only limited in scope and Sinclair personally led the localised effort to retake the facility, eventually managing to back the hostiles into a hanger. Although attempting to negotiate, Claudia was forced to act when threatened with the ignition of a nearby fuel dump, giving the order to open fire.

Whilst not finding shame in the act, it is not a fond memory and one often kept in mind during times of crisis.

Nevertheless, it seemed to show her immediate superiors Claudia had the necessary pragmatic streak required of certain situations.

Those who command battlestars have ideally gone from combat pilot to being given command of a vessel of their own, such as those underway as replenishment support. Sinclair differed in this respect, only by way of an intermediate transfer of command to a classified research and development vessel. After this, she gained the title of Commander of the battlestar Medusa.

Admirals, though, are front-runners and Claudia was, as with most, selected for flag rank after her battlestar command tour. Achieving the rank of Vice Admiral, Sinclair was one of the new, younger breed of combat veterans whose skills had been fashioned, not by war, but during countless hours of computer simulations, drills and all manner of theoretical war games. In these, Sinclair excelled, although was careful not to develop an arrogant streak.

In line to further promotion, Sinclair was designated to replace Admiral Pullo, upon his retirement. His last official duty was to engage in war games and what better circumstances for Sinclair to evaluate potential subordinates than those of simulated combat?

Unfortunately, the transition was not as smooth as might be hoped. As civilisation fell and the entire Colonial armed forces thrust into the white heat of war, the official ceremony, scheduled to have taken place two days from then, was hastily postponed. The outbreak of hostilities brought with it the loss of three battlestars, leaving only three, plus combat support and the salvaged remnants of civilian craft. Conducting rescue operations was now the first and foremost priority of all concerned.

This state of affairs continued for some months, until one particularly vicious confrontation, involving the loss of three battlestars; the Vulcan numbering amongst them and leading to Pullo's death, after the arrival of a Cylon boarding party.

It was, therefore, with a heavy heart that Sinclair took the most practical course of action available and assumed personal command of the surviving fleet.

Now less capable of mounting as solid a defence as before, Sinclair is all too aware of the need to set up a new base of operations. Human beings and ships, alike, both need rest and time to repair damage. Besides which, those most dangerous of interfering creatures are still very much alive and ready to do battle - politicians.