Goodbye Hello

Posted on Friday 11 November 2016 @ 01:38 by Lieutenant Caleb Mitchell & Captain John "Apollo" Barstow, M.D.

Mission: Old, New Ship
Location: USS Hera/USS Merlin
Timeline: MD9
1807 words - 3.6 OF Standard Post Measure

ON:

Caleb sat his freshly packed bag down by the breakfast bar, then sat his PAaD with his transfer orders down on top of the counter. "I can't believe you're leaving again," he heard a baritone voice behind him. He turned to glance at the man who was only wearing a pair of boxers. "Scott," the counselor said,"you knew this was going to happen. We're both Starfleet, you'll get your transfer orders soon, we can't fight Command. But we can make a long distant thing work."

"No," Scott replied, "we can't. We can't even make this short distance thing work."

"What do you mean Caleb asked, "I think we're making it work pretty well."

"And you call yourself a Counselor," came the almost bitter reply, "You can't seriously believe your own BS. I'm just a warm body, so you don't have to use your hand, a distraction so you don't have to think about the elephant in the room. You still haven't gotten over the death of your family. And I don't think you ever will."

"It's complicated," the blond man rejoined, "have you ever lost someone you loved and I didn't just lose one, I lost everyone but my brother. That's not an easy thing to recover from."


Scott unfolded his hands from across his chest and closed the distance between the two wrapping his arms around the smaller man. "I know it's not easy for you, but you're not ready for a relationship right now. Personally, you may be able to fool other people, but I've been there when you've woke up from one of your, uh, shall we say frequent nightmares. I've heard the screams and seen the tears. You're in no shape to be out in space. Right now, you don't need to be a Counselor, you need to have one."

He returned the hug and gave Scott a long look. "I...have it...under control," he said, not sure if he believed his own fabrication.

Scott kissed Caleb's forehead, "Until you stop telling yourself that and find some real help you're a train wreck waiting to happen. "I'm sorry, I care for you, but I can't wait around for that."

One week later

Caleb straightened his uniform jacket as he stepped off the Melin's transporter pad. Most of his things had already been transported directly to his cabin. He thanked the transporter chief and asked him the Captain's whereabouts. He found, not surprisingly, that he was in his Ready Room. So, after he had stowed his duffel bag, he made his way to the Bridge and the Ready Room and pressed the chime.

John was standing at the replicator and had just picked up his coffee and burger when the chime rang. He looked to the door but didn't say anything until he had set his food on the desk, "Enter," he called as he sat in his chair.

With a practiced smile, Caleb stepped inside. "Good morning sir, at least it was morning when I left my transport ship, I'm not sure if it's morning here," he said as he came to attention holding out his PAaD with the transfer orders on it.

Barstow smiled, "At ease, Lieutenant," he said as he took the PADD and looked over the orders before motioning to the chair on the other side of the desk, "the Hera, I heard good things about her and Captain Hart," Apollo started with a nod, "can I get you anything, Lieutenant, coffee, water....?"

"Thank you, sir," the Counselor said as he came to parade rest. "She is a good ship, sorry to be leaving her. And, if you don't mind sir, I'll have what you're having, but with a glass of iced tea."

Barstow nodded and moved to the replicator, getting the items and setting them on the desk for the Counselor, "Here you go. Be warned, I had this replicator changed so you get all the artery hardening grease from a real burger," he said with a grin before sitting down again, "and Hera sounds like it, I've kept up with the ships in the Task Group. I'm glad to have you, though. What do you know about what is going on right now?" John asked before taking a bite of his burger.

"Well, when it comes to food sir, you're a man after my own heart. On the more serious matter of Merlin's mission, I'm afraid I'm in the dark for the most part. I was told that you need me, but when I asked, I was just told that it was classified and that you'd brief me on my arrival."

John nodded and took a sip of his coffee, "Honestly, that's because I haven't told them anything," he replied with a smirk, "we have several situations right now, and I'll let Major Johnson, the TDY Counselor fill you in on that department. The other situation has to do with a ship we found during our weapons tests, from the time when the Vulcans and Romulans split. We currently have three survivors from stasis pods we found on board," he explained, stopping there to let it sink in that they had Vulcans on board that were a few thousand years old, and took another healthy bite of his burger, putting his fist in front of his mouth as he chewed.

Caleb's hands holding the burger stopped halfway to his mouth. He sat the food down and asked, "Did I just hear what I thought I heard?"

The Commander nodded, "Yes, you did," he replied with a nod, "they are a few thousand years old minimum, and from the time right around the end of the civil war. For the moment they are still asleep, but that may change. Needless to say, both governments are a little interested in what we found, enough they both sent ships and we got into a firefight with the Romulans."

"Well, there's nothing like being thrown into the deep end, on arrival. Should I coordinate with the other counselor on board? We really should be there for them when they wake up."

Barstow nodded, "Yes, you should. That was actually going to be my next subject, I'd like you to work with him before he leaves and have him get you and his patients familiar with each other anyway," he explained, "I don't doubt your ability, but with the situations coming up I'd like this to be as smooth a transition as possible before the Major ships out to his next assignment."

The Counselor finished a few bites of his burger, then wiped his mouth with a napkin before replying,"Yes sir, anything else that I should know, or that you would like me to do?"

Apollo shook his head, "Nothing right now," he replied then smiled, "I would like to know about you, though. I tell every one of my senior officers the same thing, don't tell me what I can read in your record, tell me about you the person."

Caleb took a sip of his drink. He knew what the Captain wanted of him, and he was willing to give it up to a point. He certainly wasn't going to let the man know about all of his baggage, he wasn't even going to do that with the Counselor he was replacing. "Well, I do take my job seriously, but when I'm not on the clock I try not to take myself too seriously. I believe in diplomacy and the benefit of using words to diffuse a situation, but I know that sometimes force is necessary. I'm uh newly single, but not really looking. Does that tell you what you want to know."

John regarded the man for a moment, "Kind of....it tells me you're guarded," he replied with a smile, "only give the general stats without really giving too much up. That isn't to say it's bad, I'm not judging, only observing. It's something combat vets recognize, none of us like to talk," the CO explained, not wanting the officer to think he was being called out, "I will tell you that most of what you told me is in your file. What do you do for fun? What are your hobbies?"

"Well, I like to read, real books when possible, I collect them. And like most of Starfleet officers, I like the holodeck, especially putting myself in challenging situation where I don't know the outcome and my choices can make the difference between success and failure. For that matter, even life and death."

Barstow nodded, listening intently as he finished off his burger, "Sounds like you'd like running with the Knights, our Marine Company," he commented before sitting forward, "and you should visit the ship's library. We took on a librarian who has converted it to almost all real books, just about anything you'd want."

"Wow, " Caleb said as he finished his food, "I will definitely have to check the library out. Can you tell me more about the Marines you were talking about?"

"Well, not too much to tell," Apollo started, "the Knights are part of the seventy-second regiment and are officially labeled F Company. We have one hundred thirty-six infantry and support that make up the Company with an additional twelve that are assigned to our fighter group, Dragon wing," he explained and pulled out a PADD with more information about them, "Captain Walker is one of the best, I have an agreement with him myself to train with them to keep my own fitrep good, I was a Marine before taking over Merlin."

A smart ass comment about training amongst a bunch of shirtless Marines came to Caleb's mind, but he thought better of actually voicing that, especially with a new Commander that might take issue with his brand of humor. So, instead, he said, "Well, I do like to take care of myself, so, I look forward to the challenge."

John smiled with a nod, "Good because one thing I can say about this ship is that we have and will have our share of being challenged," he replied, "Any questions for me before I have you go jump into the deep end?"

"No sir, I think I'm good. I will schedule a meeting with your current Counselor right away. I have to get my psych eval done, I might as well kill two birds with one stoned as they used to say. And I'll stop by sickbay and get my medical done too, that way I'll be officially cleared for duty."

"Sounds good," John replied and stood, extending his hand, "Welcome aboard, Lieutenant."

Caleb took the hand and shook it, "Thank you, sir," he replied before turning to leave.
< final tag then post? >

OFF:


Commander John "Apollo" Barstow
Commanding Officer
USS Merlin

Lieutenant Caleb Mitchell
Chief Counselor
USS Merlin