Fight The Power

Posted on Sat Nov 7th, 2020 @ 7:08am by

Mission: The Thorion Conundrum Mission Brief
Location: Bailey’s Quarters
Timeline: Post-Dedication Ceremony

“Has the Leto even launched yet?” The enlisted man asked.

“No, but we’ve had our dedication ceremony?” Joseph replied in a laboured manner.

“So you were stationed on a Starbase for what, a couple of months? You’re making it sound like you’ve been out in deep space for three or four years!” The other man exclaimed, mockingly.

“I tell you what, this deployment lark is taxing!” The 2nd Lieutenant stated, exaggerating an over-worked tone.

“The Castletown hasn’t put in at a dock or port for 10 months, come back to me when you haven’t seen a new face for the amount of time you could see a pregnancy through for, baby brother!” The older, Chief Petty Officer said.

The marine was taking some time in his quarters to catch up with family. His older brother Daniel had already been in Starfleet for 14 years if you included his time in the academy, and a visit from him and the USS Castletown during Joe’s time on Risa nearly 3 years previous was what had originally inspired him to join Federation service.

Having always been slightly in his brother’s shadow, Joseph always resented the patronisation and judgement he received from Daniel for not toeing the family line straight away in signing up as soon as he was able, as though Joe was a layabout and a poor reflection on himself by association.

Taller and stockier than his marine brother, Dan was now in his early thirties and shared the brown hair and facial features of Joseph, it was very obvious when together that they were brothers from just a glance.

An enlisted man in the flight control department of the Castletown with ambitions of being a Chief of the Boat at some point in the mid-to-near future, the older Bailey carried himself with an overbearing sense of propriety and duty, which was another clashing point for the pair.

“So have you spoken to Mum lately?” Dan asked, changing the subject away from the moanings of his sibling, for which he had little time.

“Erm..” Joseph stammered, knowing he’d not even sent a communication home for weeks. “Yeah, spoke to her the other day, said she was fine, not much is happening, Earth is nice.” The 2nd Lieutenant fabricated, trying to sound like a more attentive son than he was.

“And Dad’s ok too?” Daniel asked further, setting his brother up.

“Yeah, same old same old, you know the gig.” Joe replied.

“Oh so I guess they must not have mentioned they’ve both taken postings on the USS Yggdrasil then?” Daniel stated bluntly, knowing it was the mic drop moment.

“What?” Joseph said, taken aback but keen to style it out. “I mean, yeah, she did, she just saying that Earth was nice while they’re on it still.” He lied some more.

“They boarded the Yggdrasil for a two year scientific cataloging assignment, ten days ago.” The older Bailey declared, with his regular tone of judgement. “You need to be a better son.” He commanded.

“Yes, I get it, we can’t all be the great Chief Petty Officer Daniel Bailey, the finest enlisted man in the Second Fleet!” Joe interjected with a sarcastic tone.

Dan paused for a moment, looking at his brother, who had little grasp of responsibility or understanding of what his career would demand of him, given that Joseph was not long out of his marine officer training and had led a very casual life up until that point.

“Get your head in a place where that gold bar on your collar needs it to be! You have no idea what it’s like out there in the galaxy, you’re not going to be sipping cocktails and flirting with strangers every day like you did!” Daniel exploded, vindictively.

“Some day soon you’re going to have something serious happen. A virus on the ship, a firefight, a horrific distress call the Leto has to answer. You lead men and women into combat and they may not all come back. Whatever it is, whenever it happens, you’ll understand the gravity of duty and what obligations you have to keeping in touch with your family.” The Chief Petty Officer lectured with a spiteful tone.

“Well thank you for that, ‘Dad’.” Joe retorted sarcastically, he hadn’t had a dressing down like that from family since he’d spoken to his father about why he had yet to sign up to any kind of Federation service, several years before hand.

“If that will be all Chief, I’m afraid I have responsibilities and obligations to attend to.” Joseph abruptly said, continuing his sarcastic tone before cutting the channel off and slumping back in his seating and sighing. The call with his big brother could definitely have gone better.