Trusted Again (Backlog)
Posted on Friday 6 July 2018 @ 16:41 by Captain John "Apollo" Barstow, M.D. & Rear Admiral Oliver Lancaster
Mission:
Lost Souls
Location: Various
Timeline: MD02, 0800
713 words - 1.4 OF Standard Post Measure
John sighed as he sat at his desk in the guest quarters of the Grissom. He had spent the night in sickbay with his daughter and only stopped in for a quick shower and then to head back to Merlin to pull her back into space. But as he sat he felt the tugging at his eyes, his body trying to make him sleep. He just about gave in when the comm came to life, "Commander Barstow, you have a call from Admiral Lancaster."
Apollo sat forward and tried to rub the sleep out of his eyes before taking a breath, "put him through, Lieutenant."
The Starfleet Insignia appeared on the terminal before the image of Oliver sat in an office appeared. It was notably not on the Sovereign Class Starship he commanded, looking to be on an Intrepid Class.
"Commander, not waking you up, I hope?" Oliver said "You look shattered."
John shook his head, "no, sir, I've been up," he said with a chuckle, "we found my daughter with one of my crewmembers in stasis on Merlin, so, I was in sickbay all," he explained, "CO's and fathers never sleep," he added with a smirk.
"I'm aware of that combination." Oliver grimaced "How's she doing?"
"As well as she can be," he replied and took a breath, "I'm afraid of PTSD after everything, grown adults would have a hard time with being the last few people left on ship, I'm not sure how she's not already showing signs," he answered honestly, "hopefully I'm wrong, but, when you assign a counselor just make sure PTSD is one of their shrinking tools," he added.
"Traditionally, I allow my Commanding Officers a degree of latitude with their crew." Oliver said before laughing "Unless I want the Officer in question, of course."
John chuckled, “I’ll have to give my wishlist then,” he replied with a grin, “what can I do for you, sir? I know you didn’t call to listen to me cry, though I really do appreciate the shoulder,” he added looking a little better.
"Well, I've been going over personnel files." Oliver replied, leaning forward on his desk "In the event of certain scenarios, as you know, every ship is assigned to a Task Group within a Task Force, and I'm assigned as your Task Force Commanding Officer. With your Task Group Commanding Officer having been discharged, we need a new one. I want you to do it."
Barstow blinked and watched the screen for a moment just to make sure it wasn’t a mistake, sir, I’d love to take on a TGCO posting again,” he replied with a smile, “I have to ask, you know I have a big mouth and can be....we’ll call it strong willed and that’s how I lost my pip, right?” he said with a smirk, deciding to warn tha Admiral up front, “not insubordinate mind you, just I’ll tell you if I think you’re wrong.”
"I was literally accused of murdering the President Elect of the Federation." Oliver laughed "Hell, I'm the Task Force Commander to keep me out of trouble. Strong willed suits me just fine."
Apollo smiled, "well, sounds like you have yourself a Task Group Commander then," he replied, "thank you for the second chance, sir, both with Merlin and with this," he added gratefully.
"You're welcome." Oliver said, laughing "Now let me tell you what Admiral Nokuma told me when I got my job. Don't screw it up!"
The Commander laughed, "I wont, my misplacing my starship aside, I don't screw up much, and I did find it again," he added with a grin as his text message beeped and popped up in the bottom corner of the screen, "although we seem to be running out of bubblegum and bailing wire...they're calling for me down in engineering, if there was nothing else, Admiral?" John asked, hoping the senior officer would know he didn't mean to cut the call short.
"Go, deal with your ship. And good luck." Oliver said "Lancaster out."
Rear Admiral Oliver Lancaster
Commanding Officer
USS Imperator
Task Force Commanding Officer
Task Force 47
Commander John "Apollo" Barstow
Commanding Officer
USS Merlin
Commander, Task Group 47-A "Musketeers"
Task Force 47
