Breakfast Companionship

Posted on Thu Nov 12th, 2020 @ 3:39pm by Captain Bethsabée Leroux & Lieutenant Samantha Leyton

Mission: Mission 3 - 100
Location: Deck E - Mess Hall
Timeline: Day 63, Month 3, Year 07:00
1301 words - 2.6 OF Standard Post Measure

Beth looked around the mess and caught her second officer sat by herself. Setting across the mess hall she offered a few smiles to the crew who nodding in her direction before she stopped in front of the woman. "Can I sit here?" She wondered wanting to catch up with Sam off the bridge for days where one of them was not tired or frustrated by the slowness of science and the warm hole.

Hearing the familiar voice, Samantha looked up at Commander Leroux and smiled, wondering what the commander wanted. "Sure! What brings you by, ma'am?"

“Food mostly.” Beth commented on with a smile sitting next to the woman. It was still surprising to most people after four months that the Officer in charge was sat in the mess having food with the masses. It just made no sense to have a Captain’s mess when the space would be needed for other things.

"Well, to be honest, I've had better," Samantha admitted, looking at her ration. "We need to find some real food and maybe somebody on the ship knows how to cook. I'd kill for a good home cooked meal."

"Cannot say I've noticed our lack of chefs. This is better than just algae," Beth commented on swirling her porridge around with the back of her spoon. It was nice to have something warm that did not taste like she had been swimming for hours and hours.

"True. How are things going with Lieutenant Commander Sloan? Some of the crew still seem hesitant to trust him," she asked before taking a bite of her food.

"Which is understandable." Beth had no doubt that it would take time for the crew to trust the new man that Michael Sloan now was. It was normal to grieve for something that was now gone. "He seems to be taking to the new duties that he is assigned."

Samantha shrugged in response, waiting to swallow her food before speaking. "To be honest, I'm not sure how to feel, but he hasn't really given me any reason not to trust him so far." So far this assignment has been one shit show after another, she thought to herself. First, they get stranded a lifetime away from anything familiar, then Sloan gets kidnapped and found out he's not really human, then the Vrav attack constantly.

"He is broken just like the rest of us. If not more so." Beth was sure that eventually, he would heal just like the rest of them but he had a huge disadvantage as people did not trust him now. "He is now working towards something just like the rest of us. It is not like he can survive without the rest of us." No matter what happened he could not kill the whole ship off as he could not run it without people.

"I suppose you're right, ma'am," Samantha replied after chewing another bite of her food. "Give him the benefit of the doubt. If he tries something then out the airlock he can go," she grinned.

Beth smiled a little into her own coffee as she spooned some of her porridge into her mouth enjoying the taste. It was not plain at all, it was like treacle or something was on it, definitely sweet but nice either way. "I am right but I am always available to argue the point if you think I am not privately," Beth said softly as she tried to make her own command style known. She had tried it with Sloan and he had just butted heads with her constantly. "I do not believe he will try anything now. I believe he is trying to build a new life and personality with the two personals that he now has." It was not an easy position to be in at all. She was not envious even if he got to spend time alone without people bothering.

"I will remember that, ma'am and I trust your instinct with Commander Sloan," Samantha responded as she looked at her food in thought. She was glad that she wasn't the Captain and have to deal with decisions such as those. She was beginning to hate the last minute decisions she made at the helm in order to keep the Vrav off of them. Being in a shuttle by herself was one thing but she had an entire ship relying on her ability to fly them to safety and possibly home someday soon.

Beth smiled and allowed the conversation to lull into a comfortable silence to allow them both to have some food warm and fresh. It was not perfect but it was for her, Beth felt like she was executive officer again, still part of the crew and accepted by all. It had been culture shock when she had moved from that to Officer in Charge. “I trust your instinct to Sam otherwise I would not have asked you to take the second officer spot. I needed someone who would counter me.” She told her firmly over her coffee. She needed someone who was a balance to her.

"So far, you seem to make good decisions--better decisions than I would likely have made. Just don't ask me to crash the ship into anything," she chuckled before taking a sip of her sweet tea, the flavor reminding her of home.

"We all make decisions every day. I did not think I would be able to make these type of choices for myself let along with the seventy people who live and work on this vessel. I might make it look easy but it agonises me nightly." Beth said honestly. Beth smiled at the façade the woman thought was the truth. It was easy to keep going until she was alone. Everyone has a weakness and some people were less afraid to show them that others, Beth needed people to know she was fallible just like every other person on that ship. "Any officer might one day have to step up to do."

"I suppose you're right ma'am. But I'm in no rush to do so," she joked, grinning. "I'd rather take my time and learn things one step at a time." She doubted that perfect scenario would happen but she could always hope and hope was something everyone on the ship needed at the moment.

Beth smirked. “And I am in no rush despite how quickly I made it the Officer in Charge to give it back.” She admitted with a shocked expression for a moment before shaking it away. That was not a thought she had expected to slip out at all but there it was out there. “But I am sure if the time came and there was no other choice you would step up just like everyone has right now. You learn much quicker on the job.” She admitted with a teasing grin holding her coffee cup in both hands as she thought about that maybe, just maybe she was accepting everything finally and she did not even need a counsellor to make it happen.

Taking a final bite of her meal, Samantha set her utensils down and leaned back in her chair. "I suppose I should get back to duty, ma'am. I've enjoyed our talk," she smiled at Beth.

Beth nodded. She had really enjoyed it herself. It had been nice to just relax before beginning the day and to be able to have that type of talk with her second officer was even better. They needed to build a better report to strengthen their professional relationship but it really felt like they had achieved something in the half an hour or so over breakfast. "Me too Lieutenant," Beth said honestly allowing the woman to leave and carry on with morning.

 

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