Posted by Captain Marceau Renault (Commanding Officer) in Side sim: Bringing The Team Together - The Pilot

Posted by Lieutenant Helena Laursen (Helm/Nagivation Officer) in Side sim: Bringing The Team Together - The Pilot

Posted by Captain Marceau Renault (Commanding Officer) in Side sim: Bringing The Team Together - The Pilot
Posted by… suppressed (6) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)
He didn’t want to think about that, though. Not now. He wanted to enjoy the moment, to celebrate with someone who’d been his close friend for a long time. So he told his brain to shut up, looked down at Helena and smiled, “I agree. Not so slow as to make it… awkward. Just the right amount of flirty.” His accent made itself known on each of the ‘r’ sounds in his statement.

~ Captain Renault

Helena laughed softly and looked up at him shaking her head slightly, “Marceau I swear if you don’t stop dropping that French accent, I’m going to get malaður by the other women in this bar, and a few of the men too.” If he could drop that accent she could too, and she slipped in the word for mauled in Icelandic. Just because she could. Of course after all these years they were both used to the other slipping in words or phrases from their native languages.

Lt Laursen

Marceau had to smile at her comment, playing up his accent playfully to mess with her. “The men, too, hmm? How funny that would be.” She was using her own Icelandic accent, and she’d slipped an Icelandic word into her own statement. He was used to that, they both were. The words of one’s native language tended to come easier than those of one that was learned. “Surely I am not the only French person they’ve ever heard speak?” he said playfully, raising his eyebrows at her.

~ Captain Renault

Her eyes widened slightly as he teased her. He must be in a good mood. He had reason to be. “You have no idea do you?” She just laughed, “No, probably not the first, but up close and personal? Maybe. But you’re also a star ship captain now, about to leave on a great adventure,” she batted her eyes slightly for effect, “when will they ever see you again? Their poor hearts might swoon from it all.”

Marceau shrugged as if it were all the same and grinned again when she batted her eyes at him. “Hmm, then it is a good thing you don’t need to swoon, non? Because you are going away on that adventure with me.” He was in a good mood, a great one, and with good reason.

“Oh yes I am quite immune from missing you.” She was going to pilot a Warp 4 ship!!! Her grin showed how excited she was. “But whatever will you do Marceau? Your stuck with me now. I hope the rest of your crew doesn’t get space sick.”

The song ended with them rather close together, his hands on her waist, hers around his shoulders. Helena stepped quickly back. “Come on,” she slid a couple bills across the bar as they passed and pulled him out the door. The weather has turned, just like she had warned earlier. The wind wasn’t as bad as when she arrived at Smuggler’s Cove but the rain was picking up now. “Not afraid of a little wind and rain are you?” She teased.

Lt Laursen

Marceau followed her willingly outside. It was getting later, there was a bit of wind, and it was rainy enough his hair started to get weighted down with the water as they stood outside. “Afraid of it? Non, not at all. A little rain can be the perfect weather! It can’t always be sunshine.” He smiled at her again and looked both ways up and down the street they were on. “Where are we going?”

~ Captain Renault

“Good, we have a to go a couple blocks over. We’re going to 5th Street. You probably know this place, but I discovered it the last time you were space side.” She ducked into the rain, pulling her bomber jacket tight against her neck. She did not mind the rain, but cold drops down the back of her neck and down her spine weren’t pleasant. Other than that she didn’t seem to be in a rush or bothered as the rain soaked into her hair.

The lights had a soft aura around their glow as the light refracted through the rain drops. Their steps splashed and thudded against the cobbles as they walked. “This place is supposed to have the best Caramelized Apple Tarte Tatin. I remember you said once it was your favorite. So tonight, my treat.” They came down 5th Street and stopped at a little bistro with stuccoed walls and a large covered awning that kept the tables dry. Helena led the way to a back table further away from the rain and sat. There were a few patrons inside away from the rain. “Their coffee is supposed to be excellente as well.” Her French was horrible and she knew it. Her face flushed as she butchered the pronunciation. “Don’t ever ask me to speak to aliens.”

Lt Laursen

Marceau followed her through the rain without complaint. He wasn’t wearing a coat. He hasn’t even brought one. He was wearing a thin t-shirt and jeans. As soon as they stepped inside Marceau could smell French baked goods. It was as though he’d stepped off the streets of San Francisco and gone back home into France. “The baker must be Français,” he said excitedly. For about the millionth time he gave her one of those warm, happy smiles. “We’ll have someone specific who talks to aliens. Anyway your French is fine.”

~ Captain Renault

“Oh that’s good because I would probably end up accidently getting married or something.” A waitress came out onto the small patio. “Bonjour, Bienvenue à Mathilde. Comment puis-je vous servir?” Helena just looked at Marceau with a ‘I have no idea what she said.’

Lt Laursen

“Deux caramelized Apple Tarte Tatins… et Deux cafés, s’il vous plaîs,” Marceau replied for them, ordering Helena a coffee and an apple tart treat too. “C’est un celebration.” He told the waitress with a smile. Then he looked at Helena, and said quietly in English, “We are each trying their carmelized apple tart tartin and their coffee. Merci, is thank you.”

~ Captain Renault

The waitress positively lit up when Marceau began to speak fluent French to her. “Ce sont d’excellents monsieur, nos spécialités.” She smirked at Helena when Marceau quietly instructed her on how to say thank you.

Marceau smiled and nodded, “Excellente, mademoiselle. Ces sont mes préférés.” He was surprised Helena had remembered they were his favorite. He’d told her once, years ago, he was sure, but he didn’t remember when.

Helena nodded quite seriously at her friend. There was no excuse for bad manners. Smiling up at the waitress, Helena gave her best, but still horribly botched, “Merci.”

The waitress positively bubbled at Marceau. She left with their order but was back before their coffee could possibly be ready. She placed a small plate with two each of two different chocolates on it, in front of Marceau. Her back was partially to Helena. It was totally obvious her interest was Marceau. Helena nabbed a chocolate. “You are celebrating? Is it your sister’s birthday, sir?” Her French accent was heavy as she asked, in English, for Helena’s benefit. Helena’s piece of chocolate went down the wrong way as she tried not to laugh.

Lt Laursen

Marceau pushed the plate to the center of the table so Helena could more easily reach. “Ma sœur? Non, mademoiselle, c’est mon amie.” He said, shaking his head. Switching back to English, his accent heavier after speaking his native language, “I have been promoted. That’s our celebration.” He turned to Helena and smiled playfully. “Imagine! Siblings!” He said, as if it were ridiculous.

~ Captain Renault

The poor waitress couldn’t figure out if Marceau was trying to turn her away politely or was simply oblivious. She glanced over her shoulder at Helena trying to figure out what ‘type’ of friend she was. Helena leaned back in her chair and popped the second piece of chocolate in her mouth and shrugged at the woman. Poor Marceau was as usual oblivious. “Promotion? Félicitations beau gosse. Peut-être préférez-vous le vin pour célébrer. Sur la maison.”

Helena wasn’t following much but she was sure vin had something to do with wine. She wondered how crestfallen the girl would be when Marceau declined.

“Siblings? Is that what she said? Oh dear, I never knew we looked alike.” The didn’t of course, it was just a poor effort of an insult on the girl’s part. She waved at Renault, “He is a captain for Star Fleet, he was assigned his ship tonight. They disembark tomorrow.”

The girls eyes lit up, but before she could say more she was called away with a very empathy invoking pout in her lips.

Lt Laursen