Doing the Mundane

Posted on Sun Jul 6th, 2025 @ 4:52am by Commander William Gerhard

Mission: Remnant
Location: Main Bridge, A - Deck
Timeline: MD 410
1001 words - 2 OF Standard Post Measure

William scratched the slight stubble that was on his chin as he surveyed the scene of those around him. The bridge was always a hive of activity, the nerve center for the entire ship. However, reduced power levels had meant not all the stations needed to be manned. This had left the bridge with a slight hollow feeling while he was sitting his watch. But, the recent shipments of fuel from the planet had changed all that. The final shipments had been brought aboard, and the bridge was once again fully manned as the last of the surface teams packed up and headed back home. All power levels had been returned to their full levels, interior lighting had been brightened, and now they were just waiting to finish topping off the tanks.

Home...there was that word again. Here he was sitting in the command chair looking around at his shipmates and calling this place home. While the Atlantis had always been his ship, that's really all she had been to him a year ago. She was the ship he was serving aboard. Now a year has passed, and here he was feeling more content and relaxed on this ship than he ever did on Earth. Granted, Lexi was a big reason why he felt like this ship was home. A year ago the thought of the two of them being engaged had never crossed his mind. Sure they had had fun sneaking around the ship carrying on like they were. But, the finality of being stranded 75 years from home, well, that put things into perspective real fast.

"Commander, the last fuel transport is requesting permission to dock in Launch Bay 2," Crewman Dawson said from the comm station. William looked over at her briefly and nodded. "Very well," he said before he pressed the button for the comm on the chair armrest, "Bridge to Deuterium Storage Control, standby for final transfer to the separator tanks." William hit the comm button again to close the circuit before he looked back over to the comm station. "Has takedown team reported in yet," William asked.

"Yes sir," Crewman Dawson said, "The captain reported in a few minutes ago. They will need three hours to get the base camp fully packed up and shipped back here. We should expect the first shuttle of equipment in 15 minutes. William silently nodded in response before he stared back at the view screen of the planet they were slowly orbiting. He'd not had his chance to go down and see what all the commotion had been about.

Rumors had been floating back to the ship about ancient ruins, strange geological formations, and the plant and animal life. He'd heard something filter back about Ensign Mourne having an...interesting...experience with some local plant life. He could only imagine how embarrassed she must've felt. Mercy had turned into his little pet project, and his encouragement for her to go down to the surface had seemed to get her more out of her shell. But, he had not been surprised that she had an episode on the surface. He was just thankful no one was injured. In fact, William had been feeling more relaxed than ever before. While he still felt uneasiness with Lexi being down on the surface, so far nothing catastrophic had occurred. No crewman had been lost on the surface, no hostile alien race had been encountered, no accidents when transferring the fuel. If William didn't know any better, he'd have assumed that they were just taking on fresh deuterium at Jupiter Station. Armory division always discouraged usage of the word "routine" but William felt that that word perfectly summed up their current status: routine.

In fact, the nightmares had not shown themselves for several nights now. William had actually managed to get some sleep. But the minute he awoke, the anxiety of what might be waiting for him the next night was always at the back of his mind. It was like a predator, slowly stalking him. He knew that at some point he'd have to tell Lexi about it. He knew that she suspected something, but she had not pushed him. Since both of their ordeals, they were both keenly aware of each other. Cal was the only one really knew. He'd practically all but shouted it to her. But she was struggling with something similar, but they'd both promised each other to keep it between them. It was this feeling of treading water almost. Does he keep swimming and hope that the nightmares will just stop all together, Or does he reach out for the life ring that's floating just out of reach. William didn't like reaching out for help, but there was one thought worried him the most. The thought that reminded him of that dark place where he was pulled under the water and almost didn't come back up. That thought...that feeling...filled him with a profound sense of dread every time it crossed his mind.

But, that thought had not been coming across his mind lately. Perhaps this short little mundane stop had been the break he needed. He knew that only time would tell. He hated that they had been sitting in this one place for so long. They were too exposed, too vulnerable. He had beaten the point to death with Beth, and she understood his point. But they could only work so fast. He'd be happy when they could finally leave this system, even thought it presented an intriguing mystery on what happened to the previous inhabitants.

"Commander," Crewman Dawson said from the comm station, " The first equipment shuttle has left the surface and is en route to the ship."

"Very Well, Pass the word for all the cargo handlers to report to Launch Bay 1. The faster we can get these equipment runs turned around the faster we can resume our journey," William said noting to himself that he had omitted the word home.