Purple

Posted on Wed Jan 22nd, 2020 @ 9:49pm by Captain Bethsabée Leroux & Ensign Michael Sloan

Mission: Mission 2 - Fallout
Location: Deck 1 - Main Bridge
Timeline: Day 4, Month 1, Year 0 11:30
1391 words - 2.8 OF Standard Post Measure

"Do you like the colour purple, Captain?” The Comms operator asked as she walked beside the Officer in charge. Beth paused wanting to tell the woman that she was not Captain but the woman just carried on, oblivious to it all. “I love it. I think it's just a beautiful colour in general. Purple food, purple clothes, purple animals…" The woman called Lexi was chirping nonsense as Beth stood stiff as she walked beside her companion, solid boots thumping on the floor.

Lexi was hopping next to her, chirping happily about…purple mostly, and how she loved the view outside. Normally she would find the tiny woman beyond adorable. After all, her voice was soft and sweet and tinkling with an accent that Beth found intriguing. Beth loved speaking with the night operator but tonight the mere thought of all the purple and the fact the lack of food seemed to not be affecting her annoying. They were still trying to repair the HELM console that had been destroyed yesterday to allow them to leave.

"Purple is always a calm color," Michael sort of replied to Lexi. His former Commanding Officer on the Valiant had been a firm believer in using color to help express mood and to get the crew to relax during long jumps at low warp. It was not something that he wished to carry over, just a memory. "It would be nice to get a change of scenery though. And a plate of real food," He added.

Beth offered Michael a thankful smile for answering the question when she was less than able to. A headache had been brewing all day and it was spreading across her eyes making it hard to see at points. She dare not show any weakness in front of the junior officer. "Ma'am... this is my stop. It was nice to talk to you both." The young woman said stopping outside the lab before going inside as the pair carried on.

The young crew member got a quick nod and appreciative smile as she exited the turbolift. Michael did not feel great by any means, but it sort of surprised him that he was not dragging around. “The update from Engineering sounds promising,” he started. They both had received word that the new sensor calibrations would be up and running sooner than expected.

Beth waited until the young woman barely out of the Academy left before she turned and looked a the man again. "Promising is the correct term." The woman was fed up of the same view and she was feeling twitchy after two hours sleep between meeting the Marine CO and getting up to check on things again. There just seemed to be no time to rest.

"When we this crisis behind us, we'll all be able to get some rest," Michael tried to reassure the Captain. Sure, she did not refer to herself that way, but it was how everyone needed to see her. "Fortunately, food and water can be recycled once we can fill up the supply."

"That would be nice. How are you holding up?" She wondered thinking that neither of them had been resting so unless he was some type of super human like in the old films he must be feeling somewhere near as rough as her.

"It's been a challenge," Michael replied. He did not like to admit weakness in a crisis, but somehow he was dealing with it. "How are you handling everything?" he asked, returning the question by habit.

"No worse or better than anyone else," Beth said with a shrug as she looked at him. "I think the only thing I miss is sleep. I am not one to overgorge on food and things." She missed being able to wash her hair but that was the least of her concern right now when it easily pilled up out of the way.

Michael could remember basic training and the training process to be considered for the MACOs. "Sleep deprivation was a training exercise in the UEM," he replied as if justifying why he was not begging for sleep. "But, I could do with some good news," he added, looking toward Beth. It seemed that since they left Earth, they had been a case study in Murphy's Law.

Now that made sense as to why him and the Marine's barely look like they were suffering. Unlike her who literally was just thinking about her bed over and over again and the thought of just snuggling up and not having to think on anything other than how warm and comfortable she felt. The woman offered a small smile as he looked at her. "Me too." She conceded. It felt like a never-ending reign of negative luck.

"I guess I'll settle for not being in the brig," Michael weakly joked. A small chime sounded on Michael's console. "Apologies, I set an alarm at regular for my ration of water," he started, "It gives me something to look forward to every couple of hours." It was something he had picked up in interrogation training, give yourself something to give a bit of hope.

"There is still time for that to happen." Beth joked back softly as she thought how things had changed in 72 hours. How they had ranted and raved at the other and now there they were civilised discussion and joking about things. "No need to apologise. Seems like a logical approach." She might have to use that idea herself.

"And we haven't had an emergency call in a few hours," Michael stated. He pointed to an empty area on the wall just in front of the Bridge, he added, "Maybe we could add a days since last emergency sign."

"Maybe." Beth said just as thoughtfully as the man had before she smiled a little more. "I believe that though most of the crew would see the humour our Vulcans would not." She added with a shrug. "But I do have an idea for the wall." The woman had an idea but she needed to check on something first before she went ahead.

Probably not, though they don't see the humor in much, the Acting First Officer pointed out. "Don't leave us in suspense," Michael replied. His gaze still on the empty space, trying to figure out just what Beth had in mind.

"Memorial wall." Beth's mind was going back to some of the training she had, had on leadership and sometimes you needed to make a place for people to reflect. "In the early days of an event, fences and signposts in the area around the site of the event were covered by pictures of missing people by the citizens to ask help in finding their loved ones. As the rescue attempts turned into recovery efforts, these many signs became makeshift memorials. I think this wall might be perfect." Beth said thinking.

Usually makeshift memorial walls covered common areas, like gates around the person's house or a wall where news was given. He had not heard of too many on the Bridge of a starship, but they were in uncharted waters both figuratively and literally. His somber response came from a quote he remembered from somewhere, "Remember the fallen."

The woman shrugged thoughtfully. It was not a decision set in stone and no one other than the other officer knew. "I will think on it some more but more certainly not a days since last emergency sign." Beth teased just a little. They were on steady ground and she was not sure where she lay with him at all. It would need time and possibly some of the corscican muscat that she had brought from home. She smiled thinking she might be able to get him to open up over the home-produced, dusky coloured, apéritif-strength drink, with herbs such as myrtle and basil. He seemed like a man who would appreciate it.

"Food would go a long way to help thinking," Michael stated as he glanced at the countdown timer for their trip at warp. It seemed so far away. Looking to Beth, he added, "Definitely not a Days since last accident sign."

OFF::

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

Lt. Commander Michael Sloan
Acting First Officer/Chief Armory Officer
NX Atlantis