Take a Seat

Posted on Tue Jun 11th, 2024 @ 4:17pm by Commander Benjamin Jamesson & Ensign Mercy Mourne

Mission: Remnant
Location: Science Labs
Timeline: Day 401
2302 words - 4.6 OF Standard Post Measure

It had started with a message to Commander Jameson about a broken chair. Well actually it had started when Mercy had had a big lunch, returned to her shift and sat down, only to feel something break in the chair at the station she normally favoured. If she hadn’t been taller and chubbier than most of her colleagues she might have asked for the help to fix it sooner. In the end though, after a visit to see the Doctor she realised she would have to bite the bullet and admit to someone that her big bum had broken something.

So she had sent a message, requesting some assistance from Ops in repairing the chair, along with an apology for having to bother them and assurance it wasn’t urgent, and that she could make do if they were busy.

Ben glanced at the screen and found himself grinning that he was finally getting tickets for operations which meant the system was working after some persuasion and a kick to the console in frustration that the computer would not at first accept another department. It had taken Darru, Andre and Jamesson to get it to do what they wanted to but there they were Operations was alive. Benjamin strode into the lab within twenty minutes of getting the ticket and stood there patiently until someone looked up and saw him there. He knew better than to interrupt scientists when they were in the zone especially when there were so many of them in one lab now.

It was a few moments before Mercy looked up, but when she did she made a startled noise. “Oh, Commander!” She scrambled to her feet and quickly straightened her hair and uniform. She had been in full data crunching mode and blinked owlishly at him before she could remember what human interaction was. “I’m sorry I didn’t see you there! Have you been waiting long? Do you need me to fetch Lieutenant Darru to help with something?” Even though she had sent the request for help that day, she clearly seemed to have lost herself in her work.

Benjamin looked around as several other people finally noticed him and he offered a smile all around. "I do not need you to fetch Lieutenant Darru unless he is in charge of a damaged chair that needs fixing." He said looking around still as people returned to their duties but he could not easily see a damaged chair anywhere.

Mercy's face lit up in an excited smile. "OH! Sorry Commander, I didn't realise! Yes, my chair! Well not mine, as in it doesn't belong to me, but the chair I usually sit at! It's stuck, can't seem to adjust it anymore and it's become a bit of a pain." She gestured to the chair in question which was stuck in such a position it would have caused the tall Ensign to hunch over her workstation. She blathered in her normal style as she led him to it, desperately hoping he wouldn't ask how she had broken it since it was still a point of slight embarrassment. "I'm sorry to have broken it, I tried to make do but it got to the point it was getting really uncomfortable."

Ben looked at the woman and then the stuck chair and walked over to it, starting to work out what was going on. "You should have spoken up before it became a problem, Ensign. No need for you to suffer with something like this as does anyone else not need to suffer with faulty equipment." He sighed slightly that people did not seem to want to bother him when the whole point of things now was Engineering focused on engines and his new department worked with the operations side of the ship which meant faulty chairs, showers, and consoles among a few of the things that he had been fixing last couple of days.

"Sorry Sir, I didn't want to be a bother, plus, well when the chubby girl breaks her chair by sitting on it, it's a little awkward you know?" She lowered her voice as she spoke, hoping none of her colleagues overheard her. "Do you think you can fix it?" Between her chair and the incident with her door she was worried her tickets for fixing broken things were going to start portraying a bit of a pattern. At least now Ops and Engineering were two different departments. Perhaps that alone would save her from looking like the biggest klutz on the ship.

Benjamin looked at the we woman and shook his head. He hated everything that had come out of her mouth. He had not had an Ensign Mourne on his Atlantis so it was all new for him though she would have know this universes version of him. “You are not chubby ensign. You are a different body type which is no different than like me and … and Lieutenant Darru.” He said firmly. Him and Darru were both tall but he has muscles whilst the Vulcan was lean.

Mercy blushed and cleared her throat, rubbing at her neck. She looked at him a moment as she tried to detect a hint of falsehood or teasing and when she found none she simply gave him a small smile. "Thanks Commander. I am taller, bigger, than the average science nerd." She manages to inject a little bit of humour into her voice. "I do appreciate the kind words though, sir, truly." She says earnestly. "How are you finding the new department structure? Have you managed to find a separate base of operations, pun intended, from Engineering yet?"

The man stared back feeling that she was searching him out for his truths. He was speaking the truth and no matter what body type people should not be made to feel that they there for belittling. He would have commented that he was pretty sure he could bench press her weigh and then some but she moved the conversation onwards as he tipped the chair up side using the lab desk for support. “I am enjoying it. I am finding myself enjoying the new relationship I am building with this Atlantis.” He said nodding. “I have found a new base. I have taken over a little of the MACO barracks. Just need to find some time to adjust it more.”

“It’s good you are enjoying it, I hope you have been made to feel welcome. Everyone on board, they’re a good bunch, and it’s no small feat adjusting to a whole new universe, let alone a new department.” She leaned against the desk top as he worked, although honestly she couldn’t tell what the problem was. “And good that you have been able to settle a little and carve out a space. If there is anything I can do to help you settle in let me know?”

“I am sure I will be okay. I think I am more concerned that you all have a version of me here and now you have a different version.” He pointed out pulling out a screwdriver that would allow him to take the mechanisms apart.

"Yes it is a bit of a challenge to get your head around. I've chosen to treat it like meeting someone's distant family. There might be a strong resemblance but I figure everyone needs to be treated as a person in their own right." Mercy gave him a small apologetic shrug. "I don't know if it's the best way to approach it but it's an unusual situation."

Benjamin made a face before nodding. That was a good way to think about the whole situation for someone who had not known him well or he had known in his universe but it worked. "As long as it works for you." He decided quietly as several scientists looked up to watch them trying to work out for themselves if it worked. The two Atlantis' were different in crew but there were some things that were the same but then there were things that were truly different like different crew makeup but people like Calanthe, Nish, Leroux, Morgan, Sloan were all similar which was nice to have some familiarity.

Mercy winced slightly, almost certain she had somehow managed to diminish the challenging situation that the Commander had found himself in, through no fault of his own. “Sorry if I made you uncomfortable, or said something… I waffle sometimes, well a lot actually.” She glanced at her colleagues giving them a knowing look. “Everyone in the labs is used to me for the most part.” She picked up her pads and fiddled with some data for a few moments, just needing to do something with her hands.

Benjamin shook his head. "It is fine Ensign. I am pretty sure I am used to waffling." He said thinking fondly of Calathe and the way she did the same thing. He shook his head and turned back to the mechanism inside and shook his head pulling out a snapped connection. "Worn." He said shaking his head. "Could have happened at any time."

Mercy’s face visibly brightened when he revealed the culprit of her stuck chair. “So it wasn’t my fa-fault after all?” She had been about to say fat arse, but no matter how kind the Commander was, swearing in front of a senior officer was never a good look, especially on duty. She let out a sigh. “Thank goodness for that.”

"It would never be your fault for faulty equipment. The hint is in the name." The man said thinking to comment again on her weight being perfect for her and not a reason but firmly left it where it was. His gaze stayed on the the two pieces he had. "Bit of soldering and it will be as good as new."

“I know you’re right, but sometimes I do wonder if I seem to attract bad luck with these sorts of things. Yesterday…” Mercy trailed off slightly, realising she had been about to announce she had gotten stuck outside of her room in just a bath robe and her own embarrassment. “… the lock broke on my quaters, but nothing that couldn’t be fixed and it was all very normal otherwise.” She could feel the blush as it crept across her face and down her neck, now she was looking anywhere but at the other people in the room.

"Little things are breaking down but hopefully me and my little team can get the little things back to normal." He pointed out. He saw the blush but did not push. He did not think he needed to, whatever she had left unsaid had been embarrassing to her and he was not going to make that worse.

“There’s nothing little about your team.” Mercy said, then frowned when she realised that didn’t really make sense. “As in your team is already having a big impact with what you have been doing. I’m sure everyone on board appreciates it very much.” There we go, that made a bit more sense. Mercy rubbed her neck awkwardly. “Fixing this chair for one will keep me from bothering the Doctor about my neck so it’s no small thing at all.”

The man chuckled. "It is me and 2 others at the moment." He pointed out. Compared to every other department onboard that was pretty small but it did know from tiny acorns came big things but for now he would just weld the broken part of the chair for now. "I am sure that the Doctor and Hughes would appreciate that."

“Three people can make a big impact,” Mercy said softly, before continuing to fiddle with her PADD. Her mind flashed to the shaking she had seen in the Andorians hands, wondering again if it was stress or something else more sinister. Whatever had caused it she had no doubt that the woman didn’t need her rocking up and drawing focus away from more urgent tasks. “Yes, I’m sure they are busy enough without me bothering them.” Mercy said from behind a smile that hid her worry.

Benjamin nodded and offered a smile back. "Well, I will be back in a couple of hours with this part repaired. Is this okay to leave here for now?" He asked looking around at the tight quarters in the lab wondering if there was somewhere he could stash the chair out of the way but he could not see anywhere.

Mercy looked around and then shrugged. It was a little cramped in the lab now they all were working inside one space. She pointed under the desk. “You can leave it here I suppose, I can stand until you get back. I’m due to go on lunch soon anyway so that is perfectly manageable.” It would mean she would have to bend over the desk awkwardly but really the only people who would suffer in that situation were those standing behind her.

The older officer nodded. He would not be long, it would take longer for the piece to cool down after he finished welding it all back together and straightening it. "Two-hour maximum I promise." He assured her and glanced around to assure others of it. They were trying their best which he could appreciate and try and make things better.

"No rush Commander, I'm sure I can manage just fine. I just appreciate you coming up her so quickly. The new ticket system must be working as intended." She gave him an enthusiastic grin, stepping back up to the desk, and picking up her PADD so she didn't have to work hunched over. "The Lieutenant will be pleased to hear it."