Hobbling Into Embarrassment

Posted on Thu Jun 5th, 2025 @ 9:35pm by Ensign Mercy Mourne & Captain Bethsabée Leroux
Edited on on Fri Jun 6th, 2025 @ 6:03am

Mission: Remnant
Location: Base camp, alien planet
Timeline: 409 evening
1716 words - 3.4 OF Standard Post Measure

Mercy hobbled over to where she had been told the Captain was. She had known at some point she would need to report in but she had quietly been fretting over the experience. The Captain had trusted her, had given her freedom to explore and all she had really manage to do was put her colleague, one of her closest friends on board, in danger. On top of that she had gotten high of an alien painkilling plant on duty and then created even more work for Darru and the Doc who had rescued and treated her. Clearing her throat she spoke quietly.

“Forgive me Captain but is this a good time?”

Beth took off her headset that she worn out of habit as she sat in the shuttle and turned at the soft voice. She put the headset down and offered a smile. “Of course it is. I finished my call to the ship a while ago and just wore it out of habit.” The Captain assured coming out of the shuttle sitting down on the edge of the shuttle swinging her legs as she patted the space next to her so the other woman could rest her leg.

It was easy to forget that when they left Earth Spacedock a year ago that the Captain had been a communications officer, however Mercy is suddenly struck by the memory of meeting the woman for the first time, as well as touched by how far they had all come. “Don’t get to see you wearing that headpiece as often as we used to.” Mercy then hobbled over to sit on the edge next to the Captain, she let out a soft sigh as the pressure is taken off her ankle. However she doesn’t sit still for long, soon she is fidgeting with one of the pocket flaps on her trousers and thinking about where to begin.

“So… how much have you heard about what happened?”

“Because I am not lounger our communication chief, Diaz gets that pleasure now.” Beth said sensing that the woman needed to come to her reason for coming to her by herself. Beth waited and smiled when she was finally asked. “I have heard everything Ensign, from multiple viewpoints.” She admitted. “But… not one part of it was negative.”

Mercy looked at the Captain surprised. “Wait you spoke to Darru too?” Mercy wondered for a moment if the Vulcan had lied to spare her. However she quickly dismissed that as an option. Vulcans didn’t lie… although she had seen him omit certain truths before so maybe he had simple covered for her? Although she couldn’t see what the logical benefit of that would be.

Then of course there was Madi, who although she didn’t say she had any resentment about what happened, Mercy still felt acutely like she had let her friend down. “What did people say?” Mercy then realised the Captain was likely expecting her perspective rather than to have to repeat what others had said to her. “S-sorry Captain.”

"That you took pain management into your own hands and had to be carried out. Facts, Ensign." The older woman pointed out softly. "People spoke, but the facts and basis of all the stories where the truth lie was the same." She was not at all about to let the woman get embarrassed when they had all had moments like that.

Mercy winced, when the Captain put it like that she was able to see the stupidity for what it was. “I’m… I’m so sorry, Captain. I thought from the scans of the plant it should have only had a mild sedative effect. However it must have had a strange reaction or something. I didn’t expect the hallucinations, or the inhibiting effects.” She risked a glance at Laroux.

“Did… Uhm did you hear about anything else I said while under the influence?” Mercy wasn’t sure if she wanted to be Captain to know, but she felt it would be easier if someone had told her.

"What the way you spoke to Darru?" The Captain said, smiling. "That is only known by a small number of people," She assured, and even then, people were not overly caring when the woman was high on herbs. "How are you feeling about it all?" Leroux asked quietly hoping that she would not get embarrassed or worried as Darru would most likely ignore it all.

Mercy winced as the Captain nailed it. “Embarrassed.” Mercy said. “I feel like perhaps I wish that hadn’t been how I shared my feelings about Darru. He deserves someone who is a graceful and kind as him. I just kind of… wrecking balled it. I guess I also feel a little vulnerable, like an exposed nerve. In a way I’m glad I said it, don’t think I would have if it wasn’t for the encouragement of a giant penis god.” Mercy flushed, there were times where it was east to forget Laroux was the Captain because at one point, not all that long ago she had just been another member of the crew. Plus she was so caring.

“Ah sorry Captain I didn’t mean… uhm in the temple there were these statues and… well anyway to answer your question in a way I am glad. Darru deserves to know he is loved. I just wish I was braver sober.”

"Opposites attract," Beth said simply. "You do not have to be brave to be honest, Ensign. But I am sure once you are both ready, it can be revisited. We have plenty of time." She reminded quietly, thinking more on the theory that the temple had been a last-ditch effort of a society that still believed in gods and goddesses to try and turn about their lack of fertility. It made her wonder on who the last person had been on the planet.

Somehow the Captain always knew the right thing to say. Mercy nodded, looking out at their surroundings for a moment while she picked over those words. She supposed in a lot of ways her and Darru were opposite. She talked, often too much, whereas Darru watched the world around him, speaking only when he had something that he felt would add to it. “Thank you Captain. That is good advice, maybe I will just start with trying to be a little more honest. And remember that if it doesn’t go well, there’s always time.”

For a moment she too was struck by the plight of whoever had built this civilisation. A whole city, a whole civilisation and one day they had all faced their last day. Had it been one big bang or a quiet stutter into oblivion? Had people gone to that temple hoping, praying to gods? Did they believe they had been abandoned or did those people hold on to faith until the last?

"Darru is a simple man. He does not go out of his way to cause problems or offend people, especially being the only one of his species left alive on the ship. He will appreciate your honesty." Beth assured quickly. She knew that the man appreciated her candour, so she could imagine that the man would appreciate it from her more.

“Mmm.” Mercy hummed in thought. While she didn’t find Darru that simple at all, for her he was the most confusing person on the ship, she recognised the Captain had a sense of proportion that meant she was probably right about that. And Mercy knew that Darru always liked honesty. The lack of judgement and bias about things tended to underpin his work and made him excellent in his chosen field. “Honesty is good. I’ll start there. And uh… if you suddenly receive a request for reassignment you will know it’s not worked out so well.” Mercy chuckled and gave the Captain and self deprecating smile.

“I would suggest switching shifts, but the man barely sleeps either so not sure that would do much good if we do need space from each other.”

"Vulcan." The Captain shrugged. It was something she had seen in Michael, so she could just imagine that it was a Vulcanoid thing that ran deep in their DNA that they did not need as much sleep. "But if it goes that badly what department would you shift to?" Beth asked adding some logic to the conversation.

Mercy thought for a few moments and then shrugged. “I’d go wherever needed me most honestly Captain. If I’m going to hide I might as well make myself useful while I did.” She then had a terrifying thought. “Not engineering though. That would be a disaster. I’d only break things and make extra work for everyone.”

“I do not believe Engineering would suit you either.” Beth said amused at the instant after thought of not engineering. Engineering was for people who dreamt in the here and now and knew how to create things out of nothing. This woman was a scientist who imagined things in such a different way even Beth knew it would not work.

“Maybe I could hide in hydroponics and help with the watering? At least until… well let’s see what happens I guess. But thank you for listening to me Captain. And for not chewing me out about getting myself and Madi lost. I will make sure you have a detailed report. And I promise I will learn from all this.”

“I am sure Crewman Jones would like that.” Beth said weakly with a smile. “I look forward to your report Ensign. And my style is never to chew anyone out when it was an accident.” Beth was not that type of person nor did she ever want to be.

“Thanks Captain.” Mercy struggled to her feet then gave the woman the best salute she could manage while balancing on one leg. “I’m going to go and see if I can start to untangle my mess a little.”

Beth watched the woman hobble away and smiled. Well that was not what she expected but maybe she should start expecting the unexpected from her crew. Not one of them was dull to say the least.