Walk, Talk and Fighting Chances

Posted on Fri Nov 1st, 2019 @ 9:12am by Captain Bethsabée Leroux & Lieutenant JG Mattias Constantine

Mission: Mission 1 - One Step forward
Location: Mess Hall, Deck E
Timeline: Day 3, Month 1, Year 0 07:30
1154 words - 2.3 OF Standard Post Measure

WIth a satisfying thump, Constantine closed his journal and stashed it away in his desk drawer. The gravity of the situation that he and his eighty fellow crewmembers would be facing hadn't quite hit home yet. He gave one last longing look at the pictures of home on the shelf above his bed before walking on autopilot towards the closet. Deciding to re-wear the previous day's uniform, Mattias grabbed one set of standard-issue gear and shoved it far into the back of his closet.

"Shit, I guess laundry is gonna be limited too," he muttered to himself.

Everything about his morning routine was off by a little bit. His morning visit to the gym normally involved a change of clothes and a shower, two things that were going to become increasingly scarce unless the crew of the Atlantis could find a solution to the problems at hand. A mostly curious communications officer walked past the gym and instead headed towards the ship's mess.

As soon as he got the mess the door open instantly and Beth walked out. She was not going to sit in her own dining area and leave herself open to speculation. She would sit there among the crew and eat the same rations as them. All food stores across the ship had been moved to the same area and it was strictly being rationed and secured. "Oh hello, Ensign." The woman greeted.

"Commander," the taller man nodded his head in deference. "Good to see you again, though things have changed somewhat since yesterday."

It couldn't be helped. Constantine's youthful optimism was being painted over by a more determined, grim visage.

"I, um, know it's bad," he finally spoke again, mentioning the elephant in the room without naming it specifically. "Is there anything more we can do to help?"

"Indeed they have Ensign." A lot had changed in the last twenty-four hours. That time the previous day they were all locked in storm shelters and she was Executive Officer and Chief Communications Officer instead of Officer In Charge of 81 souls. "We just have to keep listening." It was all communication operators could do in a situation like this. It was boring and mind-numbing but needed.

"Aye, and continue to listen we will," Constantine nodded, studying her features for any hint of how his commanding officer was holding up. His gaze shifted upwards for a moment as another crewman exited the mess. Mattias gave a small nod and a smile before returning his attention back to Leroux.

"Commander," he spoke again after collecting his thoughts. "If I may be privileged with the information, exactly how bad is it? Are we talking weeks? Days?"

Beth raised an eyebrow she thought everyone after 24 hours would be aware of the time constrains before she realised that she had been the Comms operators department head and she had not told them. Something she needed to sort out but she had no idea which operator to chose as her replacement in that role. "Let's walk and talk Ensign." The woman indicated the way she had been walking.

"Yes ma'am," he replied. With a quick nod, Constantine deftly pivoted his direction of travel and mirrored Beth's pace as the two officers continued down the corridor. He kept his vision ahead, but his peripheral vision noticed the furrowed brow of a woman deep in thought. A few seconds passed before he dared to disturb whatever train of thought the commander was currently traveling upon.

"Ma'am, if it isn't meant for junior officers to know, I understand," Mattias finally broke the silence.

"Not I just... I was the one who should have told you as your Department Head." The woman said as they stepped inside the lift. "We have four days worth of rations." She told him gently pausing the lift so he could have a moment to process.

Silence was the only response that Constantine could muster. He was now realizing the full gravity of the situation the crew of the Atlantis found themselves in.

"Wow, four days, that's um - well," his voice trailed off momentarily. There was a wistful quality to the way he spoke when he resumed. "And just to think, a few weeks ago I was with my sister in San Francisco enjoying a day out on the town enjoying the sights and sounds. Next time I see her and we're at a restaurant, I have a feeling I won't be turning down the extra scoop of ice cream." Mattias laughed and brought his attention back to the present. The soft hum of the lift resumed.

"I did not ever think I would miss something as simple as toast," Beth admitted with a small shake of her head. It was impossible to not think about foodstuff when you knew that you might not eat anything again quite as filling.

"Aye. Think of it this way though - this sort of hardship builds perspective, the type of perspective where we'll be all the more thankful for life's little blessings when we eventually make our way out of this mess," Mattias grinned in an act of defiance. He tested his own morale, seeing if he could retain his optimism in the face of bleak odds. "To be frank ma'am, I miss my family, but we've got another family right here on the ship. Eighty-one brothers and sisters. Four days of supplies. I like our odds."

"Me too. They are great odds. We could have had anything." The woman said lightly glad she was having this conversation with this man. He seemed so much more positive than the majority of the crew who she would have to stop sinking soon and boost morale.

"We've got a fighting chance," he nodded. "Survival in space - it'd almost be romantic if the consequences weren't so dire. Maybe they'll write stories about us. Fearless Commander LeRoux, they'll say. She lead her crew back from the edge of the known galaxy," Constantine chuckled, pausing as the lift arrived at its destination.

Beth just laughed a little. She was very sure no one would ever write stories about them or anything like that. They would become a footnote in the past for most people and fade from existence. "You just keep being positive as you man the comms channels after you eat." The Officer In Charge commented as she stepped out the lift and turned to glance back at the man.

"Understood. Semper vigilans, ma'am," Constantine nodded before watching the doors to the lift slide to a close. As he commanded the lift back to the mess, Mattias took a deep breath and gathered his thoughts.

One day at a time, Matty - one day at a time.

OFF::

Commander Bethsabee Leroux
Officer In Charge/Chief Communications Officer
NX Atlantis

Ensign Mattias Constantine
Communications Officer
NX Atlantis