Posted by Captain Zachariah Cobb (Commanding Officer) in Surprise inspection of Task Force 04

Posted by Mar. Captain Erve Manhattan (Commandant of the Recovery Task Force) in Surprise inspection of Task Force 04

Posted by Captain Zachariah Cobb (Commanding Officer) in Surprise inspection of Task Force 04
Posted by… suppressed (2) by the Post Ghost! 👻
The breeze of Catia VI, the air of the white lands, these were the baggages and memories of Erve Manhattan, Branch Commanding Officer of the Recovery Task Force, boarding the Leviathan after a long leave permit from his Starbase office work. He had a sweet holiday, he must have admitted. The snow and the ski-park built there were still new and undiscovered, away from the bloody stuff he usually saw in the past year on the old lady he was going to meet again.
“It’s incredible, but I miss her decks.”

Being captain was tough, but who knew that being the Chief of an entire branch was even tougher? Not for the punches and kicks, more for the immense paperwork load and the infinite meetings he needed to attend to coordinate Task Forces’ efforts. Those were serious foes; klingons and anomalies? Pff, kitties in comparison. And do you know what was even worser? That he had an assistant, who was sincerely and lovingly intrepid, and that the Starbase had almost no damn fresh and good tea or coffee. He would say he had his own illegal hydroponics somewhere across 237, but unfortunately that was not the case. It was not really the case.

Fresh from the holidays then, he was going to make one of the few things that the Chief position actually had as an advantage, the power to make a surprise inspection aboard all Task Forces ships without the crew knowing that it was, as he called it lovingly, a “Remembrance Day”, because he had to be severe and strict. So strict that even a phaser or a railgun out of the weaponry lockers but left on the disassembly table was considered infraction. He liked actually seeing his subordinates tremble of fear and their unnerving looks when he passed the ranks and checked their uniforms. More than that, it was the Captain’s check that he loved above all. Perhaps because he was also a Captain once, but for the records, his only goal was to keep uneasy the entire Task Force personnel and have some fun all along.

The tour started from Task Force 01 and made jumps among the schedules so he could visit all ships without moving too much and take shuttles all over the place. For each ship he was greeted by different faces and all with their personalities. Of course his assistant, Helija, a female, 30-ish woman of Catia with fine features, followed the Commander across stars and planets. Sometimes unwillling to let Erve breath, other times worrying too much about his safety and also fighting anomalies when Task Force 07 encountered some pirates somewhere in the badlands. It was a real journey! Really. But he wanted the Levi to be last, and so, as he was departing again for Starbase 237, Erve dreamt again to touch the damn floor of that damn ship, dreaming to return and take control over the guys there like the old times.
“How much time?” Erve asked impatiently to Helija
“Still a hour, sir. Don’t worry, they will not go away before 2200 hours. And I know she is your old ship, the Captain will be struck by luck to see you again!” The woman cherished the conversation
“You’re too positive… ah poor man, I made him pass hell and purgatory. But you know, you’re right, I owe him some favors after all. I save the Levi many times from disaster.”
“Indeed.” Both of them smiled, for a moment Erve was not bothered from Helija’s acute voice.
The time to take a bath aboard Task Force 17 and they were already there. It was interesting how the Leviathan was moored just two gates on the opposite side. It left a huge smile when Erve, looking from the large observation window of the aisle, saw the shape and the hull of that beast that used to be his home once. With a delighted face, he gave his PaDD to Helija and without hesitation and with a little of excitement Erve pronounced few but concise words
“Tell Cobb I’m here.”

OOC: for whoever answers, Erve is on the way of transporting, make it happen!

M. Captain Erve Manhattan - RTF BnCO

Inside the RTF office, Vonn received word that someone called the ‘Commandant of the Recovery Task Force’ was arriving. Having never heard of such an entity, Vonn stayed at their desk and kept working. If it was important, they could come find them.

Vonn, RCO

“Absurd!” Helija mourned “Sir, no welcome committee. I said explicitly to give a welcome mat and a party…”
“Helija,” Erve promptly intervened “It’s fine. You know It’s funny when no one welcomes your former boss, we can make out some fine situations. And let’s admit it, I can exploit all of this to get a little more anger.” He said smiling
“I hate when you say this.”

Said that, Erve and Helija came down the pad and talked a bit with the transporter officer. It was a funny guy, but they had no time to lose and told him to call Mr. Cobb, so they could talk somewhere, he knew where. He felt again the command rush coming through his blood, traveling all veins and arteries. Walking down the aisle, Erve looked the crew that gave back a sight mixes of emotions: some looked with despair, some with relief, other happiness and even slight horror? something that made his face slightly grin. Where was the fun if everyone knew about his presence? This is what he expected from the people there, perhaps it was a good thing that he was a bit feared.

Arrived in front of the Ready Room he hesitated a moment before entering “Hey, Helija” called his assistant looking forward the door “can you please then organize a meeting with Casela too? She’s a Lieutenant the last time I saw her.”
“Casela?” She asked back “That woman… I honestly hate her, but I don’t know why.”
“Oh don’t be jealous, can you do that?”
Helija nodded and the door shut open.

Erve examined the room, from top and bottom, right to left, pressed the soft carpet and forgot how it was to enter that room when things were literally crumbling apart. He missed those moments… He then caressed the fine oak table and then slowly approached the most isolated chair near a window. He sat and looked outside, how beautiful “You know Helija, I loved the Levi. Perhaps it was a love story better than the one that Irida could give me in her fantasies and gossips.” He grinned and giggled, but then continued “I should invite her to a date, time to time, a real date perhaps.”

For the time being, the Commandant sat still and with his assistant on his side he was finally ready to receive Cobb. An old friend, perhaps not the most enthusiastic to meet him.

The meeting with Roebuck had been hellish, the farewell to Lazol agonising. After such torturous events there was only one thing on the mind of Zachariah Cobb. Well, maybe two. A quiet, peaceful corner where he could remain undisturbed for a time to absorb the day’s news. And a large bottle of whiskey to help with swallowing this handful of increasingly bitter pills.

With whiskey procured, the Leviathan’s captain had re-boarded his vessel and was preceding quickly to his ready room when the silence was shattered by the infernal chirp of a comm badge.
=^= Commandant Erve Manhattan is expecting you in your ready room, Captain =^= came the call.
“Manhattan?” The name was that of a ghost, reaching out to grasp the present once again from the depths of the distant past. “Now what the bloody hell does he want with me, eh?”

Considering the way this day was turning out, Cobb prepared himself to expect anything. But still, as his ready room came into view, the old man’s stomach was washed by a fleeting tide of anxiety. Although by the time he placed the first foot through the door, his regulation captain’s demeanour was secured firmly back into place…

• Captain Zachariah Cobb

“Sir?” The silence was interrupted “He’s here, sir.”
“Let him in.” Erve ordered
The doors opened, the hell-ish cold started enveloping Cobb’s skin. It was Erve’s welcoming favorite conditions, he purposely set a low temperature so that it was too unnerving to get relaxed, too cold to stop being aware. The humidity was pumped, the lights set to be soft and of a dark yellowish hue. Why? Who knows, perhaps the Commandant was a sadist, or loved to see people suffer. Perhaps, on the other side, it was a manifestation of love. A weird but yet true love for the crew that he had to take care many times.
“Hi, Cobb, take a seat!” And turning around with the seat to face the Captain, the man opened his arms wide and stood suddenly up, concluding leaving a huge and creepy smile on his face “Let’s have some fun.”

M. Capt. Erve Manhattan - RTF BnCO

The first thing he noticed was the cold, arms wrapping instinctively around his own bulk as if they could provide any substantial measure of warmth. “By the gods, Manhattan,” he exhaled, his breath visible and crisp in the tangibly frosty air, “have you placed Chief Vonn in charge of environmental controls? Or do you wish to freeze my tongue to my lips so that I am in no condition to answer back? Tell me at least that you have some whiskey to warm these ancient bones with. Please?”

Erve cautiously sat back, and with a hand gesture he ordered his assistant to offer a whisky to the old captain, not the replicator one, a really ancient and good Earth’s whiskey for the taste buds of the man “year 2250, aged but well preserved. I don’t drink too much of alcohol, but for me, Helija, a Hugo cocktail. So how things are going?” He received the glass in hand.

At the mention of ‘fun’, however, Cobb’s slow descent into a seat was halted, he rising once again to stand face to face with the former RTF Captain. “I can still recall your last assignment of fun, Mr Manhattan,” he scoffed, wide eyed as the memory returned to him with force. “Something about a beach and our most dangerous anomaly set loose to roam freely as he pleased? Do you know how long it took us to get him back into containment? And we never did find that cocktail waiter again. Or the beach umbrella he’d been using to fend off the threat.”

• Captain Zachariah Cobb

“Oh come on, old man.” He giggled “it was fun enough to make the crew run everywhere and play hide ‘n seek, don’t you think?” He sipped a bit
“What I meant,” and Erve turned to take a PaDD from Helija’s hands “it is that it’s surprise inspection month and I had much fun visiting the others Task Forces ships as much as visiting you and the crew. Perhaps your grades are not the best at the moment, Captain. Where’s the RTF commander? I expected him or her to be with you. I have some questions to be administered.” A smirk enlightened his face.

M. Capt. Erve Manhattan - RTF BnCO