Bartholomew Thomas

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Admiral Bartholomew Thomas was Commanding Officer of Task Force 51 as well as Sector Commander of the area of space that included Deep Space Three in the mid-24th century. (Star Trek: Outpost)

Starfleet career

With a career spanning several decades, Admiral Bartholomew Thomas was the proud standard bearer of the Thomas family lineage. Among his many accomplishments, He distinguished himself during Starfleet's brief conflict with the Tzenkethi, becoming their foremost expert on Tzenkethi tactics and strategies.

If Bartholomew Thomas had any weaknesses, it was his obsession with protecting the Thomas family name at any costs. When his Academy roommate was being investigated by the Starfleet Judge Advocate General Corps, Thomas actively engaged in a coverup. Though no charges were filed, the threat of scandal drove his efforts underground, but they did not abate.

Eventually, Thomas achieved the rank of Admiral, and in 2352, was assigned command of the sector of space that included Deep Space Three, replacing the late Admiral Mu-Et-Su. He performed his duties with distinction, commanding all of his starships, starbases and personnel. Unfortunately, his nephew Randolph, "The idiot son of my idiot brother" decided he wanted to be a hero, and joined Starfleet. Thomas couldn't allow him to fail, so he used his influence to get Randy through to graduation. However, once he graduated, where to place him? If he were to go to a normal Starship or starbase, his career would most likely be measured in days or weeks. No, he needed someplace where Randy could be protected from his own incompetence, and he also needed someone to keep an eye on him and mentor him. After a thorough search, Thomas decided on Deep Space Three, and the Oberth-class starship Chimera. It was out of the way, and had little strategic or tactical importance since the First Federation had closed its borders. Now all that was needed was someone to take Randy under his wing and guide him in a hopefully, adequate career that wouldn't bring embarrassment to the Thomas Family. A thorough search found the Miranda class science vessel USS Remington and its Second Officer, Lieutenant Gregory Torkelson. Though he wasn't a rising star, he was making steady progress through the ranks, and was able to quote regs, chapter and verse. Thomas also noted the Chimera had recently lost her captain. It was a simple matter to promote Torkelson, and reassign him to DS3 to await the arrival of his nephew. Finally, to finish off the plan, he would make an impromptu visit to insure Torkelson understood the nature of his assignment.

Matters took an unexpected turn when he finally was able to have his talk with Chimera's new CO. Torkelson was less than receptive to the idea of being little more than an amped up babysitter for the Thomas family. Despite the Admiral's attempts at persuasion and intimidation, Torkelson promised to treat him just like an other officer, bouncing him out of Starfleet if he didn't measure up. Torkelson and the Admiral finally reached a happy medium when they agreed to a deal.

Following Chimera's battles with the pirate vessel Solar Winds, and in light of Torkelson's leadership following station Commander Captain Montaine Buchanan's turbolift accident, Admiral Thomas began to take another look at the young officer. Over time, his admiration for Torkelson's leadership grew, and the animosity between the two officers began to thaw into amiability. Torkelson soon enjoyed the Admiral's uncompromising support.

Relationships

Captain Montaine Buchanan

Admiral Thomas, simply put, found Deep Space Three station commander Captain Montaine Buchanan as miserly, toadying, and generally unpleasant. His distaste for the good Captain was so profound, that after finding out that he was campaigning for the open position in Starfleet's Logistical Offices, he actually contacted the head of Starfleet Logistics himself, Admiral Laffayette Halliburton to warn him. During their brief chat, Halliburton expressed curiosity as to why Buchanan was still at DS3 after 12 years. Thomas replied that any qualified command officer wouldn't want to clean up the mess Buchanan had made of DS3. Despite his disapproval of Captain Buchanan's command style, he did grant the Captain a favor and transport Buchanan's Yeoman, Avery Tovar-Smith back to Earth aboard his flagship, the Excelsior class USS Joseph Kittinger, following his recall by Starfleet Command. After Captain Buchanan's turbolift accident, he did express confidence in LCDR Torkelson's leadership.

Lieutenant Karen Denali

Admiral Thomas came across Lieutenant Karen Denali's name following his initial falling out with Lieutenant Commander Torkelson. He was looking for some sort of 'peace offering' after realizing that though, as an Admiral, he never apologized to subordinates for his decisions, the Admiral recognized that he wouldn't have stood for what he'd done either, were he in Torkelson's position. After (illegally) scanning Torkelson's communications records, he determined that he was closest to a junior science officer aboard his previous assignment, The Miranda class science vessel USS Remington. After reviewing her service record, he arranged for her reassignment to the Chimera. The reunion between Torkelson and Denali didn't go off as anticipated, as Denali believed it was Commander Torkelson that had arranged the transfer, despite her admonition that she had her own career, and her own life. Later, when Thomas revealed his motives behind her reassignment to Denali, he also wanted something more from her. He needed someone to keep him appraised of what was happening on the station after he left. Denali vehemently replied that she wouldn't 'spy' on her fellow crewmembers. Thomas replied that wasn't what he was looking for. Things were changing at DS3, and he wanted to stay on top of it.

Captain Taldeen

With a history that goes back several years, Admiral Thomas shares an adversarial, though still professional relationship with Captain Taldeen from the Judge Advocate General's Office. An effective investigator, Taldeen was responsible for indicting Admiral Thomas' Academy roommate, despite the Admiral's none too subtle attempts at covering his tracks. Despite this, they both shared a mutual distaste for Captain Montaine Buchanan's management style, as well as his relentless toadying in their presence.

Ensign Randy Thomas

By the Admiral's own admission, his nephew, Ensign Randy Thomas should not have graduated from Starfleet Academy in the first place. Despite wiser voices pleading to dissuade Randy from his ill-advised crusade to become a Starfleet hero, once he was enrolled, the Admiral could not, and would not, allow him to fail, whether he deserved to or not. However, in order to protect the Thomas family name, he needed an out of the way backwater assignment where little would be expected of him, and where Randy could be protected from his own shortcomings and bad judgement. He also needed a babysitter. So, He picked Deep Space Three and LCDR Torkelson. Once Randy was there, the Admiral did his best to treat him as he would any other officer. Despite his efforts, Randy insisted on throwing his family name around like gold-pressed latinum, to the consternation of his uncle. So far, despite the combined efforts of LCDR Torkelson, LCDR Exler, and LT Kyle, Randy was rapidly living down to expectations.

Lieutenant Commander Gregory Torkelson

Initially, all Admiral Thomas was looking for was a "model officer' to babysit his nephew, soon to be graduating from Starfleet Academy. "The idiot son of my idiot brother." During his search he came across Lieutenant Gregory Torkelson. In Torkelson he saw an officer that, though not a rising star, he was a hard worker, intelligent, and able to quote the regs, chapter and verse. After making his decision, it was a simple matter to promote him to Lieutenant Commander, post him to Deep Space Three and the Chimera, and await the arrival of his nephew. To insure his cooperation, he arranged for his Task Force to visit DS3, so he could meet his nephew's future mentor.

At the reception at DS3 following his arrival, he pulled Torkelson aside to explain what he expected of him. "You have ambitions, but you lack the sense of urgency that makes some people go out there and grab for it. You're willing to toil your way slowly up the ladder. All Randy's gusto ever got him were false starts up the wrong paths. And as far as friends, well, let's just say that not letting other people get close is preferable to getting close to the wrong people. So once I identified you as the right person, it was a just a matter of moving you this backwater of space to await the arrival of my nephew. Hopefully, he won't become the failure he was expected to be."

Insulted, ourtraged, and betrayed, Torkelson promised the Admiral that if if he sent his nephew to Chimera, he would not hold his uncle's bad behavior against him. Despite Thomas' veiled threats, Torkelson stood his ground. Later, Thomas realized, that were he in Torkelson's place, he would not have stood for what he did, either. After (illegally) going over Torkelson's communications records he determined that Torkelson was closest to a junior Science Officer while he was aboard the Remington, A LT Karen Denali. He decided on making a 'peace offering'. After reviewing Denali's service record, he had her reassigned to Torkelson's ship.

The animosity between the two officers began to thaw, over time. As Thomas got the chance to see Torkelson in action, he came to realize that there was more to the Commander than he initially thought. Chimera's battles with the Solar Winds, his leadership following Captain Buchanan's turbolift accident. He finally recognized Torkelson's true leadership potential.

With his peers

Admiral Andra Voychellis

At some point in the past, "Barty" and "Andra" were in a relationship. Though it ended some time ago, the two of them remained close friends. (Star Trek: Outpost - The Needs of the Few)

Memorable Quotes

"Commander, you might want to think about whether you want to have an Admiral looking over your shoulder to help where he can, or bury you where no one is going to look!"

"Commander, I do appreciate the position you are in at the moment, and I do appreciate your attempting to protect my nephew. That is, after all, what I have assigned you to do. But isolating him from everything out here that might be dangerous isn't really what I had in mind. He has to get some real experience if he's ever going to amount to anything."

"Transferring my nephew is not the limit to what I can do, Commander! Nor is it the first thing that would come to mind!"

"I'm not accustomed to making deals to get what I want, Commander. . . ."

"You've made the conscious choice to calmly and very publicly put yourself in what could be considered harm's way. Just to reassure your crew that the turbolifts are safe. Leaders are usually depicted as the person out in front making speeches and rallying opinion. Times like this, however, benefit from a more quiet leadership. You are displaying just that kind of leadership, Commander."

Background

Bartholomew Thomas is played by Rob Watson in all his appearances in Star Trek: Outpost.