<snip>

He took the new intrusion lightly though, looking up at the security officer’s throat-clearing cough and noticing the elder man beside him.

“Yes?”

Lt. Cmdr. Dr. Brad Walker
Incoming Chief of Staff

The portly figure of Counsellor Pope stepped around the security chief and took in the figure of the Ogawa’s new Chief of Staff. “Commander Walker?” he asked, extending a beefy hand. “I’m Counsellor Pope, If it is not too much trouble I’d like a moment of your time.”

Brad shook the offered hand. “Sure, Counsellor, what can I help you with?”

“My charge, Dr Jarvis, will be joining the crew of your new ship when we reach Carraya IV. As the incoming Chief of staff, I thought it prudent to have a brief conversation with you in regards to him.”

Brad nodded, indicating the Counsellor should keep talking.

Pope interlocked his fingers across his stomach and let out a sigh. “Dr Jarvis, while slightly standoffish, is a brilliant man who I believe can be a real asset to both Star-Fleet and the people whom the Ogawa aims to help. However, he is a man who has run afoul of both morality and the law, if you understand my meaning.”

Brad’s eyes narrowed. He clearly didn’t like where this was going.

The pompous man puffed out his chest self-importantly. “That being said, under my guidance, he has shown both remorse for his actions and a desire to make amends. In that regard, I believe this secondment will allow him to use his skills to work towards a positive goal. Thus serving aboard the Ogawa will be his rehabilitation.”

“Just what did he do?” Brad asked. “Are we talking mostly-harmless sociopathy, like a Moriarty, or a depraved experimentalist like Mengele?”

Counsellor H. Pope

Lt. Cmdr. Dr. Brad Walker
Incoming Chief of Staff

OOC: Please Continue this as long as you’d like. Given that the Chief of Staff has already met the XO IC, I can’t do my original plan to introduce you to Carraya first and give you advance info, so I will just have to have you arrive more or less at the same time. ~Linds

Pope’s thick moustache twitched and he shook his head. “Depraved is such a strong term, Commander.”

The portly man rubbed a thick hand across his brow. “You understand that I cannot discuss the nature of Dr Jarvis’ wrongdoings. In order for his rehabilitation to be a success, it is imperative that he not be judged based upon them.”

Brad stared back. “And you understand that if I’m to smooth over any questions about his presence, I need to know what people may be upset about, I hope. Of course, if it’s a legal issue, I suppose I can just look it up after we’re done here.”

“However, this is precisely why I wished to talk to you, Commander. As Chief of staff, you will no doubt be in a position to oversee Dr Jarvis’ work, correct?”

“Ultimately, yes,” Brad replied. “I think a Dr. Marshall is the Ogawa’s Chief Surgeon.”

“I would ask that you be patient with Dr Jarvis. Make him feel welcome, but also give him some breathing space to acclimatize to life aboard the Ogawa. It is a rather substantial change for him after all.”

“Is he coming to us directly from incarceration?” Brad asked. It seemed improbable that the man wouldn’t have spent at least a little transition time somewhere else before immediately rejoining the Fleet.

Counsellor H. Pope

Lt. Cmdr. Dr. Brad Walker
Chief of Staff