Back to Duty

Posted on 19 Jun 2020 @ 12:33pm by Captain Mallory Thorne & Commander Marcus Wilcox

858 words; about a 4 minute read

Mission: Ab Intra
Location: Ready Room
Timeline: MD 01 - 0900

It had been much longer than he anticipated, but Marcus had been medically cleared to come back to work. Working through his orders given to him by the XO, he came to meet with the Captain. His pristine, clean cut uniform hid the still healing body underneath. He limped slightly still, but nothing that would stop him from duty, or from flying. With a cadence that would make a drummer smile, he walked across the humming bridge to the Ready Room, gently pressing the chime to await permission to enter.

"Enter," called the voice from the other side of the door.

With the doors swishing open, he'd find Mallory sitting behind her desk. She was reading something scrolling on her console screen with a cup of coffee newly-replicated and steaming beside her hand. Her hazel eyes rose and spotted a face that she didn't immediately recognize. She settled back in her seat. "Commander," she greeted with a nod.

Marcus stepped in, his steady gait only interrupted by the slight limp in the left leg. Stopping several feet short of the desk to quickly salute, before closing the gap to place a PaDD on the desk, oriented appropriately for the Captain to pick up. He stepped back two steps and stood there attentive. "Captain, my return to work and flight status paperwork."

Mal took the PADDs and looked them over quickly, then recognition dawned on her. "Right, Commander Wilcox," she said, remembering the memo from Kris. "Please, have a seat." She waved at the chairs in front of her desk as she read the clearances he'd received. "Welcome back to the land of the consciousness." Her eyes flickered up to his briefly as she smiled and then continued reading.

Marcus moved only after the offer had been given, sitting gently into the closer of the seats. His posture was erect, but not uncomfortably stiff. He placed both feet firmly on the ground, and clasped his hands loosely in his lap. He nodded slightly responding, "Thank you ma'am," when she spoke to him, but otherwise stayed quiet. He watched intently as she worked through the PaDD's information.

"According to this, you are indeed ready to return to duty," she said with a smile as she put the PADD back on her desk and then leaned back in her seat. "How much have you been told by now of what's happened and where we are?"

"I have a general understanding of the events. No specific details as to current status or mission," Marcus replied after a moment of thought.

Mallory nodded. "I recommend you do as much reading now as you can to get up to speed on the universe and timeline we find ourselves in," she said. "Our current status is thankfully stable." She paused. "You are now the ranking officer in the air group, which hasn't had a steady CAG for a time. Are you up to that task?"

Cocking his head ever so slightly to the side, his eyes moved around as he processed the question. A chance at CAG had always been something in the back of his head, but to go into it essentially blind. He wondered if he was up to the task. But he reasoned that no other time would be opportune. What felt like an eternity of him thinking was truly only a matter of a couple seconds. "I would be honored," he finally replied, his head straightening back out as he focused on the Captain again.

"I'm glad," she replied simply. It wasn't an ideal jump into the situation at all, but there was no "ideal" to anything on board the USS Odin anymore. "Lieutenant Romanov has been manning it in the meantime so check with him to get caught up on matters. You'll retain commander of your squadron as well. We're all working a little overtime."

Marcus nodded slightly to the statement, acknowledgement of overtime while his mind working to remember Romanov. "I will speak with the Lieutenant Romanov after this meeting," He added, having thought through the situation. Another item to the mental checklist that was quickly growing for him.

Mallory offered a thin smile. "As such, the position requires a rank of full commander, so you may consider yourself promoted to such."

Marcus smiled subtlety for a moment, an unconscious emotional reaction to the idea of being promoted to Full Commander. Not that he wasn’t happy, just his subconscious worked faster. His normal blank face returned when he responded, “I will endeavor to fulfill the responsibilities and duties of the rank virtuously.” A subtle smile almost began to form again, something easily overlooked if not looked for.

"I'm sure you will, Commander," she said, even though she really had no idea. Only time could tell. "Do you have any questions for me before I dismiss you?"

Marcus thought long and hard, his head cocking to the side subtly again for a moment. "No ma'am," he eventually replied, his stance stiffening slightly with the anticipation of being dismissed shortly.

The captain smiled again and nodded once. "Then good luck, Commander. Dismissed."

=/\= End Log =/\=

Captain Mallory Thorne & Commander Marcus Wilcox

 

RSS Feed