Potential For Lack Of Potential

Posted on Wed May 13th, 2020 @ 2:58pm by Lieutenant Aurelius Davis & Captain Bethsabée Leroux

Mission: Mission 3 - 100
Location: Deck C - Gym
Timeline: Day 29, Month 2, Year 0 20:00
1438 words - 2.9 OF Standard Post Measure

Beth was not one to usually go to the gym but she needed to take her mind off the never-ending attacks they were under and the fact she had a member of her crew locked up in the brig. The gym featured several items that could be used for the fitness of the crew, including exercise bikes, treadmills, and weights to name a few and it was the treadmill that Beth was using. It was the most advanced fitness equipment when they left Earth but it did not quite beat the feel of the ground under her feet at all. It was something Beth was missing more and more now after seven months in space since they had left Earth when they started out on this path. Beth looked up from the treadmill she was on and smiled at Aurelius as he stood there. “Can I help you, Lieutenant?” She wondered breathlessly.

"Sorry, didn't mean to bug you. I just thought you might want to talk." Aurelius said sitting down on a bench nearby and picking up a weight. If he held it a certain way it didn't put strain on his fingers and he could still work his arm. "You know, about all the stuff that's been going on. You did make me morale officer."

"Not to just start moralling me," Beth said looking over at him with a small smile before she started running harder and faster. It was her usual pace but it did not allow much talking for a moment as she built up the pace. The silence was comfortable as the woman watched the man trying to do weights and it made her wonder just how much physio he was getting for his hands or if there was any available.

He watched her without trying to watch her. Finally he set down the weight and looked up at Beth. "Why not? Last I checked you were still a living breathing being with feelings? And you've been through a lot lately. I don't have a lot of formal training in the area but I am a good listener."

"Oh no I am fine," Beth assured ignoring the gaze she could feel on her right then and there. It was just out of the corner of her eye but enough that she noticed, she hated counselling in all forms. "I do not require someone to listen to me complain about things that I cannot control or anything else." She breathed deeply trying to to keep her pace going.

Aurelius blinked then a grin spread across his face. "My god, I had no idea you were so stubborn. This was your idea Beth. You've created a monster and now you want to put it back in the box." He wouldn't push her, not really. But this was amusing and he didn't think a little teasing would hurt. "You remind me of my sister. She is just this force that pushes through everything and no one ever really knows what she's feeling on the inside."

Him calling her Beth made her miss a step and nearly trip but she grabbed the rails and stopped the machine allowing it to slow down and roll to a lazy stop. Beth moved over to where Aurelius and saw his grin. "You obviously have been oblivious to my depths of stubbornness up until now." It was the stubbornness that had kept her and the crew alive up until that point she felt.

"Yeah, well I'm sure I'm not the first man that's been a bit blind. And I won't be the last." He patted the bench. "I promise not to crack your head open and examine the results if you promise that you'll knock on my door if you really need someone to talk to?"

"You have much chance of cracking my head open with that weight than counselling," Beth stated truthfully for the man as she sat in front of him on the bench as he continued with the weight. "Aurelius you are two quarters away you are easily the first person I will come and talk to." She added without hesitation thinking back to the night he had come to hers for help. It would not have happened a month ago, Beth was a cool person not easily moved but that had been a drastically different universe.

"Good then," he replied with a smile. "My work here is mostly done." He set down the weight. It honestly made his hand hurt to use it. Perhaps he needed a strap that would go around his wrist or something. He stretched his fingers and tried to think of something else to say. Suddenly his brain had gone all fuzzy as far as conversation with Beth.

"See I knew you would be a natural." The woman teased just a little with a wink. It was was easy to talk to him most of the time, he made her feel relaxed even covered in sweat and breathing deeply as she tried to get her heartbeat to go down to a more respectful level. "Hurting?" She wondered seeing him stretching out.

"Yeah," he said looking up at her. "Aches from time to time, nothing I can't handle though. I'm thinking of inventing some kind of hand massage device out of stuff around here. But then I remember I'm not an engineer or a scientist and I'd probably unknowingly build a cheese machine or a bomb."

"A cheese machine would be perfect right now." If Beth did not have self-control she would be drooling at the mere thought of some decent cheese and crackers. It was a perfect meal for her and just for a moment transported her back to Corsica. "You really should see if anyone on board as physical therapy skills." She suggested quietly thinking that he needed a little extra help. Maybe Doctor Seong would have a route for him?

"Yeah, I can ask. Sometimes I think just a good massage would help loosen things up, but they'll never be like they were." He shrugged. "So . . . . now what?" He asked, that was all he'd meant to speak to her about and now they were just sitting there.

"Of course they won't but it does not mean you are not useful or wanted. Morale officer is pretty much the most important job on board at the moment. We need that. It's been a month nearly since our world was changed some things are really quite different." She mused before answering his second set of words with a smile. "Now we take the next step into the next right thing." It was all that any of them could do at the moment without any other guides other than themselves.

"And, what is that?" Aurelius answered curiously. Or was she speaking rhetorically? "The two of us going for a cup of coffee. Cause that seems right and important too." He stood up and offered her his hand.

Beth looked at the man and smiled. She stood but did not take the offered hand. She wanted to go for a cup of coffee as promised but it had all become so complicated since that offer that the woman was just not sure of it all now. "I would like a conversation over some coffee." She admitted. "But I think I would need at the very least a shower first."

"Okay," Aurelius said, trying to understand the sudden shift in her. "Sure. Well, it doesn't have to be right this minute. You can let me know," he said, giving her a way out.

"I will," Beth told him brushing her hand over his with a small squeeze. "Lots have gone on the last month and I have no idea what the ship or crew is going to throw at me next. " The woman said honestly as she saw a strange expression on his face.

"Okay . . . . well, I'm going to go see the doc about my hand, I'll let you shower. You know where to find me." Aurelius gave her a small smile and then turned and headed off to sickbay.

Beth frowned. That was not how it was meant to go in the slightest. One second they had been talking and the next he was pretty much legging it out of the gym to escape her. She shook her head it was another problem for another day. She was not going to be getting involved today after so much had already been revealed to her from Sloan.

OFF::

Commander Bethsabee Leroux
Officer In Charge
NX Atlantis

Lieutenant Aurelius Davis
Morale Officer
NX Atlantis