Catching Up

Posted on Sat Apr 27th, 2024 @ 5:01pm by Ensign Alexandra 'Lexi' O'Connery & Lieutenant Andre Rhodes

Mission: Contagion
Location: Mess Hall
Timeline: Day 365
1186 words - 2.4 OF Standard Post Measure

It had been a year since they had gotten lost in space and Lexi was depressed about it all as the day weighed on her. She was trying to not show it despite the way she was picking at her breakfast. They had so much potential but the what-ifs were playing on her mind. She glanced up as someone joined her table half expecting William but it was someone who she often had breakfast at noon with. “Oh hello. I thought you’d already be in Engineering with Jamesson.” She said going straight to the hard question.

Andre sat down with his plate and chuckled as he shook his head. "You know me - I'm all about breakfast being the most important meal of the day." He replied. That was sometimes true, though it was more accurate to say that he took whatever meal wasn't interrupted by some engineering emergency as the most important one of the day.

"Things start off bad for you already?" He asked.

“Just been a year. The vibe on the ship is off.” It was almost true. All she needed to add was she was feeling the vibe too but she was trying to remain her façade of defacto morale officer. It did no good on the one year anniversary of them getting lost in space 150 years from home for her to fall apart. “How are you doing?” She wondered.

"It's not exactly what I signed up for but..." Andre trailed off for a moment, taking a few bites before continuing after collecting his thoughts.

"We all joined up because we wanted to be the first ones out here doing what no other Human had done before, right? Just, well, we ended up doing it even more so. I left family behind like everyone else but we still got each other and we still got the ship." Andre replied with a smile, "Plus, if Enterprise could get through the Delphic Expanse without half the updates we got before launching, well, maybe we got a shot at finding a way home that doesn't have to be completed by our grandkids."

“You are far too positive for breakfast at lunchtime.” She commented thinking that whilst he was right the Enterprise had always been close enough to home for subspace relays. “Let’s hope we start having children but I think you mean great grandchildren.” She said taking a bit of her toast.

"Getting dragged down by it doesn't make us get home any faster." Andre chuckled before taking a few more bites.

"Like I said, it's not something I signed up for - we're on our own and may not see Earth again. But that's eating at more than a few more people at this point. It doesn't help. So rather, I want to look at this as how we can make the best of it as we can." Andre continued, "If it means our great grandkids are the ones to make it home, then so be it, but we can do all we can to make it possible we're at least able to see it."

“Well aren’t you being all philosophical today. Should get you involved in more morale activities.” Lexi murmured with a small smile. She had not thought much on them all having children but it was going to happen sooner rather than later but it was interesting that he was consider in that as an option.

"Just helps to keep the end goal in mind, that's all. Besides, you can't do your job if I start suggesting we turn down the ambient temperature or ration the coffee, now can you?" Andre cracked a grin, even if that was a concern he and Engineering had - what would happen if they had to start requesting more power?

Lexi snorted just a little. “So if you are thinking on grandchildren have you found someone to have children with?” She laughed deviously as she hoped that her teasing made him squirm now she had a target for her thoughts other than it had been a year since they had gotten lost in space.

"Whoa now, I said nothing about that." Andre glanced away for a moment, a bit of a squirm if there was one, before laughing, "Next you're gonna say I had something to do with this because I figured it'd be a good way to land a date."

Lexi burst out laughing and put down her toast trying to settle herself back down. She knew it was going to be impossible for some people to find partners with the huge imbalance of men and women onboard but she hoped that some people were at least compatible. "Well I was not going to say it so openly but yes is this why we ended up here so you could get a date?" She asked watching as a Crewman from Science gave the pair a weird look.

Andre laughed and rolled his eyes, "Can't catch a break around here, can I?" He bemoaned jokingly, "Alright, alright, I see how it is. Well, thanks for being the first to volunteer for random hot water rationing." The grin on his face said he was mostly serious about randomly switching off the hot water to her quarters - mostly.

“I would love to see the face of Commander Gerhard when he finds out he cannot have a shower due to his fiancé’s friend having turned off the hot water.” She smirked easily throwing around her and William’s relationship now. It might be a joke but it was easy to do it now thanks to all the challenges they had been through to make it there.

"Oh, I can be quite creative in providing my reasons." Andre chuckled before finishing off his plate, "Just remember - gotta keep hope alive. That's the only way we're seeing our way through this."

“I am not trying to dishearten you. I am sure there is someone on here for you and if not who knows maybe we will find someone on a random planet and find the love of your life.” Lexi said. She would never have thought of finding someone on her first ever assignment and no matter what happened she was sure she was not planning to let him go now. It had been on her mind a lot recently but the closer they had gotten to a year lost in space.

"Yeah, but my focus is on keeping this ship going right now. I can worry about the rest of that stuff later." Andre replied with a shrug as he stood up, "Speaking of, I've got a hot date with a plasma coupling on C Deck." He cracked a grin as he pushed in his chair.

"Be seeing you, Lexi." Andre said as he dropped off his plates and headed out.

The woman offered a salute as she watched him leave wondering if she had stepped across a line but it was too late to take it back now. She could repair what she needed to later on.