French VS French Canadian

Posted on Wed Jan 22nd, 2025 @ 3:34pm by Captain Bethsabée Leroux & Petty Officer, 1st Class Etienne Couture

Mission: Remnant
Location: Mess Hall
Timeline: Day 403
1763 words - 3.5 OF Standard Post Measure

Beth was hungry but it was the hunger that she could not explain as she came into the mess hall and saw how quiet it was other than a couple of crewmen finishing off their midnight meal and a petty officer who looked like he was anywhere but stuck on the ship 150 years from home. Beth smiled and envied him for a moment as she found a sandwich in the cooler that looked decent and grabbed some soup as well. She wore civilian clothes with her hair pulled back. "Bonjour Petty Officer Couture." She greeted him sitting close by but chose to leave him to his thoughts if he needed it especially as she was sure he was not on night shift.

The greeting had brought Etienne back from his thousand lightyear gaze. He had been watching the warp lines go by outside and thinking to himself about each of the stars and what new mystery each of them held. Bringing himself back to the Atlantis, the pilot's eyes fell to the Captain as she sat near enough to him to make conversation for what had to be the first time ever. "Bonjour, Capitaine," he returned in both of their native French. Motioning with his hands politely, he repositioned himself in his seat to offer a better conversational partner than a person staring out of a viewport would have. "How are things on the Bridge?" he asked.

Beth took the gesture as it was a joined him on his table. She took a bit of the sandwich and swallowed it before she answered the question. “Quiet at this time of night. What brings you here so late?” She ventured. She knew the fuel issues were affecting people in different ways, she knew it was giving her sleepless nights and left her considering every action she did and how much fuel it was using.

"I had a couple of ideas to conserve fuel that I wanted to run on the simulators, just thinking it out," Etienne replied, trying to sound more hopeful than he felt. Seeing the Captain eat a bit reminded him of his own food that sat on a plate in front of him. It was called a burger on the menu, but he knew that it was some kind of algae-based protein left over from their adventures on the algae planet. For what it was, it was good but most definitely not the real thing.

That made sense, she had seen Nish and Darru doing similar exercises to try and work things out. "And did they come to fruition?" She wondered dunking her sandwich a little in the soup. It was bland but she could not judge when it had been there awhile. Food was food and she was not overly fussy she was just happy she was not sick still.

"We will know in forty-three minutes," Etienne replied. "Not that I'm counting," he smiled, trying to show more confidence than he felt. It was work that he was used to when he worked R&D in his prior life and he knew that the line for success was probably much further away than what a couple of tweaks to efficiency would bring about, but any time bought was better than no time. Trying to change the subject, he asked, "How is the sandwich?"

Beth smiled a little. forty-three minutes was a long time, in all honesty, everything could change in that time. Her own life had changed one way and back again in less time. "Of course not but whatever happens it is out of your hands." She said smiling more as she looked at her sandwich. "It is acceptable. Who knew being pregnant would make someone so hungry." She said shaking her head as she took a smaller bite conscious that he was watching her now.

Noticing her subtle glance at her stomach, Etienne replied, "All the more reason for us to succeed." While he did not know the Captain longer than a few meetings involving work, the fact that she was pregnant was the first step in what would become their new life aboard Atlantis. Were they to have any hope of getting home, it would be up to their kids and grandkids and the Atlantis would become a generational ship. Glancing out the viewport and back to the Captain, he decided to ask about something happier than the situation they all found themselves. "What made you decided to leave Earth and join Starfleet?" he asked. "If you don't mind me asking."

"Not at all. I lost my husband really young and I needed a new start so I joined as a communication officer. 2 years at officer training and then straight into several postings and here I am." Beth had not been asked that question in a long time which was nice that even now she was rediscovering something she enjoyed - simple conversation. "And yourself?" She asked.

"I've always been too late for the important discoveries," Etienne laughed. "I worked at Boseman on the experimental warp engines, after the Warp V engine was made. I missed it by a few years as they didn't accept teenagers. I just wanted to be out here, to be among the first group of Humans to ever see something, to discover a new planet that we could walk upon." Shaking his head and smiling at the irony, "I must have wished too hard."

Beth found herself laughing just a little as he declared that it was his fault that they were stuck so far from home. She shook her head. “I think you must have but we shall keep your wishing between us both.” Beth assured him gently before taking several mouthfuls finally feeling like her stomach was finally filling up. “But you must have seen and found amazing things since being out here?” She questioned knowing that she had.

"Oh definitely, I've seen things that I never could have imagined," Etienne replied. Listing a few things, he said, "The Releans, inter-dimensional beings, algae planets, and countless star systems that the best telescopes on Earth haven't seen." Smiling a little at some of those memories, he added, "Given the circumstances, I couldn't ask for a better assignment."

The man’s words made Beth smile as she took it all in properly. So much had happened over the last year and it truly was amazing, they were having the same type of adventures if not more important adventures than the Enterprise and no one in Earth Starfleet would ever know until they got home. “The assignment is amazing but the circumstances yes are not the best.” She sighed softly wishing she could make it better.

Growing a bit somber, Etienne asked a question that had once been on everyone's mind but was now something that had not crossed his mind since the scuttlebutt about the former Chief Engineer. "Do you think the war ever happened?" Glancing out the window, then back at the Captain, "With the Romulans. Our mission was to shore up support and stabilize a potential second front. Do you think there is a home waiting for us? Or are we Humanity's last hope?"

Beth pursed her lips together as she thought on it. It was a thought hit that kept her up and made her insomnia worse but she was not going to admit that to anyone other than the doctor. “I believe the war happened.” She finally decided and held up a hand to stop him speaking. “But I believe that we won.” The woman decided to at least give him hope. She truly did not know what had happened but war was had been coming to Earth whether they liked it or not and whether they were there or not.

"I like to believe the Andorians and Vulcans helped," Etienne thought. Shrugging, he added, "Perhaps even started a little federation of allied planets." It seemed a little ridiculous that the Vulcans and Andorians would ever get along. But, the Atlantis had all species aboard and they all got along. It made him think about how different the Earth would be when the ship finally made it back.

“I like to think so. But I also know we cannot do anything about it out here.” No matter how much she to wanted to but it might be worth looking at the future core but then that felt wrong that she knew the answer whilst others did not. That did not make her a good captain at all and she was trying to be the best that she could despite pregnant and needing a midnight snack.

"All we can do is keep living," the pilot agreed. At just that time, Etienne's PAD pinged. Looking down at it, the man's face could not contain a slight look of hope. Sliding it a little to show the Captain, he explained, "The simulation has finished. It isn't much, but our fuel efficiency can go up a percentage point with a few changes."

“Every little bit helps Etienne. How much more time does that give us?” She knew the chief engineer was still going to keep his estimate but just knowing that it was not such a firm line was hopeful for Beth. It also helped knowing it gave the crew a little boost.

"Depending on how much we are willing to conserve, I would estimate no more than a week extra," Etienne replied, it was not much but one day could make a difference. "A firefight or coming out and going into warp too many times could shave some time," he added, with the understanding that he was a pilot and a real engineer of an NX class could give a much better estimate.

“It is something.” She assured quietly. If everyone had similar ideas on how to save fuel then they would get to the next planet without issues to check properly what was there. “Merci Couture.” She sighed taking a few bites of her food happy that it was settling her stomach and nerves.

"Bienvenue," Etienne replied. Catching himself for using a more Canadian slang term that all other French speakers would take as the word welcome, he corrected himself to say, "Je t'en prie."

Beth laughed a little but ducked her head. It was funny to hear French but not 100% how she knew it. But she was just happy to speak it in all honesty, standard was nice but French was her mother tongue. She did not care of the quirks just as long as she was speaking it.