From the Depths and New Jobs

Posted on Friday 29 June 2018 @ 01:30 by Lieutenant Colonel Kachiko Bayushi & Captain John "Apollo" Barstow, M.D. & Commander Cale Llewellyn DSci

Mission: Lost Souls
Location: =/\= USS Merlin, Bridge =/\=
Timeline: MD2, 1000 hrs
1796 words - 3.6 OF Standard Post Measure

John sat at the Ops station and rifled through the systems, checking that all the ships propulsion was online. Everything was showing green, the only problem seemed to be the smells caused by the ice melting and soaking into the carpeted decks. Barstow pushed the station open and stood up, stretching out his back as he did. The Commander's fingers grazed his rank pips, and the gold bar under them that signified his reinstatement as a Task Group Commander in addition to his command of Merlin. He couldn't help but smile, even with his demotion and removal from command the months before for his insubordination command had decided that he deserved another chance after all the Marines involved in the weapons smuggling operation he'd infiltrated had been convictFed. It did come with a stern warning, however, there wouldn't be a third time if he stuffed up that way again. After a minute he let his hand drop to his comm badge =/\=Colonel Bayushi and Commander Llewellyn, report to the Merlin Bridge=/\= he called then moved to the command chair and pressed the button for the internal comm =/\=All repair crews, run final checks on all systems and report to launch posts. We will be raising Merlin in one hour=/\= he called then closed the comm and sat in the command chair with a sigh, shaking his head as it rocked, "well, at least the paint wasn't scratched," he said to the empty room as he sat back and took a moment to relax.

Kachiko was at least pleased that the turbolifts were online and operating at near-optimal efficiency. She was somewhat impatiently awaiting a lift when the Captain's call came to meet him on the bridge. She smirked to herself as the hatch for the lift opened almost immediately as the comm closed. Checking that her phaser was still firmly adhering to the hip of her uniform, she stepped aboard the lift, "Bridge."

Cale looked up from the console where he was working and made his way out of the TIC and to the nearest turbolift. Upon entering, he said "Bridge." And the turbolift shot off to the bridge. Stepping off onto the bridge, he said, "You wanted to see me, Sir?"

The pitch-black uniformed Marine slipped out of the lift, immediately spying Barstow sitting in the Command chair, "You rang, sir?"

Barstow stood up an nodded, "aye, that I did," he replied and walked around to the back of the Bridge to meet them then sat back against the tactical station, after making sure it was locked, "there's a few things. First, Cale, outstanding job in engineering," he said and smiled, "and both of you have been outstanding since coming down here. Now, I need to fill out my command team. You both have been valuable officers. So, Commander Llewellyn, I'd like you to be our second officer. Colonel, since you hold an active Naval commission I'd like you to put on red and be our exec," he explained and looked between the two officers with a smile, "what're your thoughts?"

A pale white eyebrow arched inquisitively, "I... I would need to have a discussion with SOCOM, Boss. I'm still an active Operator."

"I would also like to request to retain the black uniform, Cap. I endured hell to to earn the right to wear it, and then went through even worse while wearing it," Kachiko sighed. She hadn't had an opportunity to discuss anything with Apollo just yet. This was certainly the most interesting introduction to a new posting that she's had.

"I understand better than you think" John replied, "however, on duty you'll need to wear standard Starfleet uniform, I'm not allowed to wear my Marine colors even, and trust me, I bled in that uniform," he said and rubbed the reconstructed side of his face, "Starfleets reasoning is the same as why Marines cannot hold command posts on sarships, the CO and XO can't present a combat state. Having me in my MCU's (Marine Combat Uniform) or you in the solid black are two ways they see it as presenting ourselves as combatants rather than explorers," he tried to explain, though, truth be told, he didn't fully understand himself.

"Thank you, Commander. And that is how I started out under you, Sir, if you'll remember. And I'd be pleased to serve in any capacity you deem appropriate," Cale was beside himself when he said this. He never imagined he would be asked to be a second officer, especially not for Barstow, ever again.

Kachiko looked disappointed, "We still need to have a discussion, Cap. Regarding a number of classified subjects."

Barstow nodded and saw the disappointment, "tell you what, we'll work out the uniform....we'll need you in red for for diplo, first contact, et cetera, but, up here we'll let it slide, alright?" he asked, genuinely not wanting to take anything away from anyone, "and aye, I have a bit that falls into that category, but first," John said and nodded Cale, "I also have another assignment for you, Cale. I am transferring you to strat ops as its new head. In addition to coordinating any combat movements from the shp you'll also brief us on anything coming in from the rest of Starfleet we may need to know about. Think you're up to it?" he askeed with a smile and handed a nearby PADD over.

Cale stood there agape at Barstow's statement. "Thank you, Sir. That sounds like a new and bigger challenge than anything you've ever asked of me. With the exception of becoming your XO. I will do my best not to let you down, Commander."

The newly rechristened Commander nodded, "Aye, Cap. I can work with that. Though, sometimes the black uniform can be a very solemn reminder not to screw with us?"

"Good," Barstow replied then pulled the PADD he'd been looking at out, "so, tell me what you two know about Master Chief Petty Officer of Starfleet Peter Burgess."

"I'm afraid I don't know enough about him to like nor dislike him or to even to form an opinion about him that would be helpful to you, Sir," Cale said.

"I have little knowledge of top personnel on the Blue side, Cap," Kachiko shrugged. "Most of my time was spent looking outward, as of late. What's up?"

Apollo tapped the PADD on his leg and looked at the deck for a long minute before looking back up, "my first year in med school, as a first el te long before I had a family mind you, he ended up being my first patient....and my first patient death. Heart attack," he explained, a pang of regret crossing his face, "but, his last words to me were 'John, remember capra and your daughter, .Sav has her safe. Romulan space capra Sav has your daughter,'" he said and looked between the two officers, letting what he'd just said sink in.

"Temporal dislocation?" Kachiko offered. "Have you encountered the man since?"

"I think we all have," Barstow replied and covered the 'r' in the mans first name and the 'ess' in the last with his fingers, "now, I need to have Ki confirm this, but you both remember Yeoman Second Pete Burg?" he asked and held up the PADD for both to see.

"Yes siir I remember him. A likeable fellow, if I remember correctly," Cale said.

"I haven't been aboard more than three hours in my life, Boss," Kachiko said mirthfully. "That I know of, anyway. So he was a Second Class while aboard and and Master Chief when you ran into him as a First Looie? Definitely smacks of temporal dislocation to me," Kachiko sighed. She hated everything to do with time travel. She usually regressed in physical age every time she encountered concentrations of chronitons. "Have you spoken to Temporal Affairs about it?"

"Not yet, I want to be sure before I do. Te-eh always gives me a headache because their questions are never the same tense- did you, do you...." he said then shook his head, "this stays between us until Ki can verify my gut."

"Sir, I must add this; I have my doubts about the Merlin rising off the sea floor intact. She wasn't built for planetary flight and her mass might complicate matters even more. I felt the need to give you my thoughts in the matter," Cale said plainly.

Barstow nodded, "we're going to use the warp drive as a PFD (personal flotation device)," the CO replied with a grin, "the warp bubble, so long as you and your engineering teams can keep it at a low enough level, should change our mass enough to make us buoyant. After that we'll need some help. If we were in space I'd have Grissom use their tractorbeam, but, here on the surface I haven't figured that out. Ideas?" he asked.

"I'm not an Engineer, but I had some thoughts about this earlier," Kachiko was once more blank faced, falling back on old habits of not expressing anything she was feeling. "I recall reading about something similar where the Chief Engineer reversed the polarity of the grav plates on the ship's lowest decks and inverted them. So instead of pulling down like usual, they pushed and since they're inverted, they're pushing down. It gave that ship the little bit extra it needed to get out of the water."

"You just let me know what you want and I'll make sure the engineering teams get it done. I'm no engineer myself either or I'd offer suggestions," Cale said apologetically.

Apollo quirked an eye brow, "alright, run that past the engineering teams. It'll take us about an hour to reach the surface with how deep we are, so, let's get to work on those and have them ready for when we do," he said and stood up, "alright, Commanders, let's get this done, I want to be back in space and on our way to three zero six by breakfast tomorrow."

"Aye, Sir, I'll get right on that. Commander Llewellyn to Lieutenant Hamblin," Cale said as he left the bridge with a big grin on his face.

As Cale exited Apollo stood up with a smile at the offices enthusiasm, "alright, Bayushi, I'm going to try and finish replacing the bloody gel packs up here. I need you to pull whatever visual logs as you can from the ships final moments."

"That shouldn't pose an issue, Boss," Kachiko shrugged. "We will need to have a chat after we're back underway."

OFF:

Commander John "Apollo" Barstow
Commanding Officer
USS Merlin
Commander, Task Group 47-A "Musketeers"
Task Force 47

Lieutenant Commander Cale Jason Llewellyn
Strategic Operations/Second Officer
USS Merlin

Commander Bayushi Kachiko
Executive Officer
USS Merlin