Triple Threat

Posted on Fri Nov 11th, 2022 @ 6:02am by Commander Benjamin Jamesson & Ensign Isaac 'Zac' Hughes & Chief Petty Officer Manishie Karalo

Mission: Sojurn
Location: Messhall
1570 words - 3.1 OF Standard Post Measure

"Apparently it's some sort of algae-protein? I'm still a little sketchy on how that becomes a burger but nobody's about to ask me to take over the galley any time soon anyway. It's not too bad."

Isaac regarded the sceptical scrutiny of his lunch partners.

"As in, it passes for a burger if you don't think too much about it. Bit of an aftertaste perhaps." The doctor picked up his food in both hands and took a generous bite to prove his point. Several chews later, he negotiated the mouthful to declare, "Tastes like chicken."

Algae protein made sense, his Atlantis had made something similar when stores had gotten low. "Had not noticed," Benjamin admitted as he took another bite of his own burger. "But I am so hungry after rations that anything not cooked by self-heating ration packs. You two might not remember but I do. That taste will never leave me I swear." He said trying to add some levity to it all now that he had a full stomach now that the sickness in his stomach over the unknown.

"My stomach remembers." Manishie pulled a bit of a face as she chowed down another bite of the burger. "This is way better." She put the half-eaten burger back on the plate and sighed. "How are you two settling in?"

Isaac considered the question over a mouthful of plant-burger. Eventually, he supposed, the three of them would be able to start a conversation with something other than how did not going crazy work out for you today?, but for the time being, he felt stuck in a loop. Everyone kept asking how he was and, in turn, he kept trying to check on how everyone else was. It was hardly surprising that the usual response to both queries hadn't changed much over the course of a few days.

"Still not really sure what I'm supposed to be doing," he admitted with a shrug. "The sudden vacation from departmental reporting, and staff briefings, and personnel management, and resource allocation, and humouring my Executive Officer's attempts at converting half the ship into a brewery, would be nicer if there was at least room service." The doctor blithely skipped over his jab at Ben's expense by picking up a fry and savagely biting the end off it. "Lodgings are familiar enough. I'll let you know how comfortable the bed is once I actually get to sleep in it." He threw the rest of the chip at Manishie.

“If only it was half the ship,” Benjamin commented. He felt much the same but he was taking it at a slower pace not having ventured into engineering to look at the engines that he knew would not be familiar anymore. It was painful to know the ship but not know it at the same time.

Manishie shot Zac a glance as she simply at the chip that was thrown at her before taking it as an invitation to reach over and grab a fresh one from his plate. "Do you think they have a distillery here?" She had not been in the loop on this version of the Atlantis, something that should soon be remedied. Although there were probably more pressing matters to attend. "I think I might miss the moonshine from back home."

The slap of a limp chip smacked at the back of the invading hand as it returned for another theft of nutritional property, even though Isaac had long taken to simply piling half an extra portion on his plate because apparently certain foods could only be enjoyed if they were stolen from him. "If they don't, I'm sure there's ways to fix that."

Benjamin shrugged. "I am sure they will have McManus exists here." He said simply. It would be hard to imagine a world where the damage control specialist did not create something like a still. It was a way to keep the man sane and keep his mind focused on the greater good on the ship. "I will add it to my list to check out." He said thinking of all the things that were on the list to check out or to avoid.

"I'm thinking of moving to helm." Manishie looked at the two men she shared a table with to gauge their reaction. She wasn't really sure how much either of them knew about her piloting abilities but it was a good test to see what she'd need to do to land the position with this Atlantis' Captain.

Isaac found himself suddenly struggling not to choke on a french fry, which was somewhat unfair and gave the entirely wrong impression regarding his opinion of her deliberation. He was only a tiny bit intimidated by the idea of her flying them through unfamiliar space, and a smidgen more concerned with her taking up a Bridge position. That seemed very...in the firing line. Half a glass of water later, and the watery-eyed doctor peered blearily at his friend and only trusted himself to offer her a thumbs up. Concern or not, he understood her reasons.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, Zee." Manishie shook her head a bit, wondering what had startled him about that announcement. She looked over at Benjamin hoping to get a slightly more encouraging response.

The oldest of the trio had said nothing for a while as he watched the pair for different reactions and watched the woman look to him for something. "Well you have my vote if you need it and I count for at least two people," Ben said gently. He was a man of limited words but he knew Manishie was struggling with the adjustment more than any of them.

"I have every confidence," Isaac finally managed to retort, loyal if nothing else. "It's just a big shift. Unknown territory, front and centre of whatever we stick our nose into..." He wasn't worried, nor was he inclined to harbour any delusion that his opinion one way or the other would sway her once her mind was made up, but Zac knew the reason for the choice and couldn't help but pause to wonder if it was something she actually wanted.

“She got me back alive from that attempt to get some seeds. She’ll be fine.” Benjamin added. He really did have confidence that she would be fine. “Have you spoken to Leroux?” He asked knowing that it felt strange to say that instead of Morgan.

Manishie shook her head as she answered, "Can’t say that I have. It's been a hectic couple of days. Either of you know what she's like?"

Isaac was saved from providing an answer he didn't have, since he'd yet to chat to the Captain himself about his own situation, by choosing that exact moment to squash half of his burger into his mouth. His chips were a lost cause, it was time to fast-track enjoying some of his meal before it ended up fuelling someone else's stomach ache.

“I have several times. She is more direct than our version was.” Benjamin had spoken to her on and off whilst the other two had other stuff on senior officer to senior officer. It was subtle the changes in the woman but it was enough to throw him at moments when she was the one in charge and not him.

"You should go talk to her now," Isaac negotiated around what remained of his mouthful, barely managing to pronounce half the consonants in his effort to make up for previous unintended implications that her driving the ship was something he had doubts about. He didn't think that concern for her safety would fly as an adequate excuse, mostly because it sounded stupid to his own ears and he couldn't account for the unreasonable layers of protection that sat beneath it other than she was very limited edition in his eyes. He'd lost enough people for one lifetime.

“Definitely if you are feeling brave you should just get it over with.” Benjamin agreed with a nod. It seemed logical what she wanted to do. “Do what you feel you need to do Manishie.” He said simply. It was as simple as that and the advice he wished he could do for himself.

Manishie wasn't so sure, "I have a conversation planned with the Captain. I'm sure this is one of the topics she wants to cover." She finished the fries on Zac's plate and leaned back, "How are your duties coming along?" She looked at both men.

Still chewing, Isaac shrugged his shoulders. "The paperwork hasn't improved, only now I seem to have more of it." That was mostly self-inflicted, because it had been easier to limit his direct involvement with treatment where possible by taking over the slower shift. The sudden arrival out of thin air of a new doctor, especially after everything that had happened, wasn't an easy sell to those crew undergoing regular treatment. Filing reports had become a way to feel useful without getting in the way.

“I’ve been doing things.” Ben said simply. He had not been able to find a niche yet in this new engineering. He was familiar yet an overwhelming presence for a lot of them so night watch was suiting him at the moment whilst he tried to find some type of footing.

TRUNCATED