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Posted on Wednesday 2 November 2016 @ 10:16 by Captain John "Apollo" Barstow, M.D. & Captain Melody Jones

Mission: Old, New Ship
Location: Bridge / Ready room
Timeline: MD9 - Midday
1500 words - 3 OF Standard Post Measure

ON:

Melody walked onto the bridge and took stock of all the duty stations. Several other crew emerged from the other turbolifts and started to take over at their respective stations. The Lieutenant who was on duty stood from the Captains chair and came to attention. She smiled as she approached "At ease, change of watch. Anything to report?" she asked.

The Lieutenant shook his head shook his head "I'm afraid not, all quiet. We're still waiting for sickbay to report on the condition of the occupants from the stasis pods and we're holding position in this class 3 nebula while repairs are completed. "

She nodded "Very well, I have the bridge."

He replied "Understood" and turned and took his position at ops. Melody quickly glanced around then sat down in the Captains chair. This duty shift, she was in command but the Captain was probably not far away.

She took a deep breath as she settled into the chair. She still had the feeling that there was some awkwardness between her and Barstow and she was now resolved to work hard to regain his confidence. She sat a little more stiffly, taking her duties with a renewed sense of conviction.

John had been in the Ready Room finishing the last of the communiqués from Starfleet. In addition to the normal ship movements this batch also included a communication from Starfleet Research and Development. The CO smiled as he read, the mark two version of the AH 12 Phoenix classy fighter had been approved up through the chain of command and production had already started on a squadron that was going to head to Merlin, they would get the first ones since he had submitted the specs. John nodded to himself and sat back in his chair with a sigh, basking quietly for a moment before closing the screen and making a note to fill in Cale, Melody and Save'ena on what was going to be coming in. He stood and moved around the desk, grabbing his coffee, before walking out onto the Bridge. Barstow stopped just outside the door and looked to the command deck where his second officer was sitting. After watching for a second he took a step forward, "Lieutenant Jones, may I see you a moment please?" he asked and motioned to the Ready room

Melody griped the arm rest of the chair and her back stiffened slightly. She swallowed involuntary as she stood. "Aye sir, Lieutenant you have the bridge."

She turned and followed Barstow in his ready room. They had not spoken privately since the incident and Melody still got the impression that Barstow was still pretty mad at her. She came to attention and waited. She half expected Barstow to chew her out again.

"Report," John said simply and moved off to the right side of the room and dropping down into the brown leather sofa situated against the bulkhead and rested the coffee cup he was holding on his knee.

"Sir, everything is rather quiet at the moment" she began, still not able to relax "repairs are almost complete. We are holding position until they are. Still no word from sickbay regarding the stasis pod occupants. I understand Doctor Miller will inform the bridge when there is any news."

Melody waited to see how Barstow would react. She remained at attention, her eyes fixed ahead in a straight line. There was a definite tension in the room between them.

"Good," John replied simply and tapped thumb thoughtfully as he regarded the officer in front of him, "so, I have a question, what is the difference between a psychologist and doctor to you personally?" he asked, "and I don't mean a text book definition or job duties, I mean to you."

Melody locked her eyes on him "Permission to speak freely Sir?"

Barstow just gave a subtle waive of his hand.

She took a deep breath "A doctor heals the sick. A psychologist says they want to help, but what they do is asks questions. Questions that answering cause pain. Some question just to further their own career. Some question that should not be answered. If you tell them what they want to hear, they stop asking thankfully" Melody started running of a list of questions, getting lost in a the past for a moment "Tell me about the Borg, what was the maturation process like? did it hurt? Do you miss your mother? What kind of stupid question is that? of course I miss..........."

Suddenly realizing she was rambling, she stopped and brought herself back to attention. Her experience with psychologists and counselors had not been a good one.

"Furthering their career, huh? Because no one does things to do that ever," the CO replied with a smirk, "so, by that logic, since I'm a fighter pilot, if I don't like you because your job is to solely fly the ship I'm allowed to ignore you, the other bridge officers do not need to listen to your orders and I should just treat you like you don't exist because I think you're inferior due to your job and not you personally?" he asked, though he had no edge in his voice, his tone only conversational.

Melody cheeks burned with shame. "No Sir" she replied in a quiet voice. She knew where Barstow was going with this. She had ignored an order from Wolf. It still didn't make it any easier.

John sat forward and nodded before motioning to a chair then putting both hands around his cup and leaning forward, elbows on his knees, "so, what if you were in the middle of a maneuver that would save the ship, you knew it and your staff knew it, but I shoved you out of the way and off the console because I'm a doctor and this ship is my home, but, because I let feelings take control and not trust you I end up nearly killing the crew. I'm responsible regardless of how I felt right?" he asked, using the same scenario and intentionally saying 'doctor' rather than pilot.

Melody moved over to the seat and sat down. She nodded slowly "Yes Sir, I understand i acted improperly and i give you my word that it wont happen again."

Barstow nodded and looked into the dark liquid for a moment before looking back up, "so, now that you understand I am reducing your sentence to two more days. However, you are still to see Johnson as ordered, with one addition. You are to read his unredacted file before you see him, entirely," he said and stood up, walking over to the desk and typing on a PADD before holding it out, "I'm not looking for you to notice his commendations, I want you to read about the man himself, about the fact that he was a Starfleet Captain and left the service to help his son, about him asking for reduction in rank to come back out into the field just to help people. Learn about the man and forget about his job."

"Yes sir and thank you sir, i will." She took the PADD from him. "Is an escort still required when i meet with Sav.... I mean Lieutenant Tillatix?"

"Did something change in the last twenty four hours that made the counselor trust you without question?" Barstow asked, folding his arms over his chest and giving her a look like a father who's kid was asking to go out after getting grounded, "first, he ordered it, so, not my call. Second, you have done nothing since being released from the brig yesterday afternoon that would make me trust you enough to override him. You want the escort gone, you have to prove it to the both of us. I may think a week locked up was to harsh, however, this wasn't just some minor misstep."

Melody lowered her head "Yes Sir , I understand." She stood "Is there anything else?"

John uncrossed his arms and sat on the edge of the desk, "Melody, look at me," he said in a softer voice, "You wouldn't still be on this ship if I didn't think you could come back from this, but it wont happen over night," the CO said then smirked, "it could be worse, you could have slapped a patient in sickbay in front of Doctor Miller, she's really a nice person, just don't mess with anyone in her sickbay, it'd be like me after someone messed with Merlin herself," he added with a smile.

Melody look at him and for the first time since she had entered the room, allowed herself to relax. She raised an eyebrow "The last thing I want to do is incur the wrath of Doctor Miller" she joked. "Thank you for giving me the opportunity to redeem myself Sir."

OFF:

Commander John "Apollo" Barstow
Commanding Officer
USS Merlin

Lieutenant Melody Jones
Second Officer / CFCO
USS Merlin