Looking To The Future

Posted on Thu Aug 21st, 2025 @ 12:39pm by Captain Bethsabée Leroux & Ensign Mercy Mourne

Mission: Remnant
Timeline: Day 413
1004 words - 2 OF Standard Post Measure

Mercy hovered outside the Captain’s quarters once more. In her hand was something she had been quietly working on while she waited for Avira to fix her ankle. Before she signalled her arrival she hesitated. Was this a case of her being too nosy, of inserting her opinion and doing too much?

However before she can chicken out her hand jerked forward hailing the Captain inside. Oh well, in for a penny, might as well offer it to the Captain in a way that made it clear she was under no obligation to accept.

Beth had just been about to get into bed when the chime rang out, which made her scurry for her large hoodie and pull it on before she physically unlocked the door and pulled it inward to reveal Mercy. "Not gone to bed, Ensign?" The woman offered as a greeting as she stepped back. She had expected everyone to be in bed that had been on the planet after a job well done on getting fuel.

“Oh dear, sorry Captain. I didn’t mean to wake you.” Mercy offered as a greeting. Then she shook her head, declining to step inside, not wanting to impose further on the Captain at such a time. “I don’t want to keep you long Captain. I just wanted to bring you this. I was working on it before we went down and managed to finish it while I was waiting for Avira to patch me up.” She then offered the small data transfer stick to the Captain.

Beth shook her head. "I have not gone to bed yet. I was just about to." She wondered, looking at the small data transfer, confused as she took it. What could the ensign have been working on that made her come there at that time? "What is this?" She wondered, indicating the free chair.

Mercy accepted the offer of the chair, but didn’t get too comfortable. She didn’t want to keep the Captian from her sleep for too long. “It’s a playlist. Music from the databank which is good for in utero development. Truthfully the research on the subject is a little scientifically scant. But at the best it’s supposed to help stimulate babies growing senses, and at worst it will help you relax and keep your blood pressure steady so really it’s a win win. My grandmother used to also say reading to babies in utero helped them grow smart, but she was a gardener, not a scientist.” Mercy chuckled. “I just thought it might be a nice thing for you to listen too when you had quiet moments… rare as they are for you Captain.”

Beth looked at the small data rod and wrapped her hands around it for a moment before holding it to her chest. She was not going to cry there and then, but once the ensign left, she was going to brawl in bed at the sweet gift. Mercy was the first person who thought of her and the baby as just that and not the Captain who had messed up. "Ensign... I am a little stunned about what to say." She admitted. She was barely stunned for words speaking so many languages.

Mercy just smiled and nodded. "In that case, don't worry at all Captain, you don't need to say a thing." Mercy smiled and straightened up. "I should leave you to sleep, rest is important when you are growing a whole arse human being... uhm I mean... when you are pregnant ma'am." Mercy shifted slightly, running a hand through her hair. "Is there anything you need?"

"For you to sit down and relax for a moment." The Captain said quietly. "This was really thoughtful," Beth said, trying to gather herself to think about what it meant to her. It was a hard balance to keep Captain and future mother separate, and in this moment, it was impossible, and she was finding herself having to embrace it. "Rest is important, and I am sitting down." The woman assured and smiled, leaning back a little.

Mercy immediately stopped her fidgeting and blinked at the Captain owlishly. “Oh uhm… yes. Okay I can do that.” She settled back in the seat, her legs crossing and uncrossing as she tried and failed to look relaxed. “Rest… right.” What did humans normally do with their hands in this situation? Mercy had known at some point but her brain always seemed to switch into manual drive whenever she was around the Captain. Things that should be simple and automatic (like sitting normally) suddenly seemed to require too much brain capacity.

"So what bought this on? I am thankful because much like yourself, I need to relax more." Beth finally wondered as she smiled a little at the woman, as she attempted and failed to relax. Beth was sure she had not relaxed since they had gone into the radiation safe zones and Leah had died.

“I just thought it must be hard.” Mercy said after a few moments of awkward thinking time hung between them. “If we were home, you would probably have friends to look after you and do stuff like this. But out here you’ve only got us. But sometimes being Captian’s must mean having certain boundaries.” Mercy shrugged. “And that’s okay, I’m not trying to break those down or circumvent them, but being a mum is hard. Especially when it’s for the first time.”

“If I was home, I would not be pregnant and in charge of the Atlantis .” Beth suddenly realised not having through on it that pregnant women did not actively serve on vessels. They were sent back to Earth or a colony until they gave birth. “I joined Earth Starfleet as I had no one my husband had died, and I was looking for a new route in life.” Beth admitted softly. She had more friends on the Atlantis than she would have back on Earth.


TRANCATED