Posted by Captain Marceau Renault (Commanding Officer) in Memory: End of First Year Training Mission

Posted by Lieutenant Helena Laursen (Helm/Nagivation Officer) in Memory: End of First Year Training Mission

Posted by Captain Marceau Renault (Commanding Officer) in Memory: End of First Year Training Mission
Posted by… suppressed (10) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)
“It’s overcautious but I agree,” Marceau said, nodding to Akela. He took the ice pack and rested it against Helena’s ankle. “Don’t be afraid to move it, but don’t overdo it, either.” When he had the ice pack against her ankle, he moved up and sat by her, looking at her. With Akela gone and everyone else back to watch or sleep, they were pretty well alone, so Marceau lowered his voice, “You as peur of dogs? You’re scared of them?”

~ Marceau

Helena pulled one knee up as she set her coffee down. Her arms wrapped around her knee, hugging it to her. Eyes staring hard at her ankle as she flexes it experimentally without too much pain. “Yeah,” she took a deep shuddered breath. “When…when I was 14…my parents took us to Alaska to watch the Iditarod. We were out a few miles or so from Anchorage. We wanted to get away from the crowd and see the…dogs run. It was late after they passed we spotted this dog…thought he got out of his pen....” Helena shook her head, “We…had heard wolves and dogs howl…howling like that. Didn’t think much of it.” She dropped her forehead to a her knee for a long silent moment. “It was wild, hungry, I don’t know…it…” She sat up slowly, visibly shaking and undid the collar of her uniform and slipped it half off her left shoulder. The firelight and flickering shadows catching and defining the long deep scars across her shoulder. Marceau had seen the scars before, of course. He had never asked, and Helena didn’t talk about it.

Helena

Marceau had seen the scars, but only once. When they’d played poker in his quarters before leaving. Of course he had wondered, but he hadn’t asked. He wouldn’t ask a question like that. Now that she was telling him, he hugged her, pulling her tightly to him, comfortingly. “I’m sorry that happened.” He said softly, still hugging her. It was one of those hugs she’d seen him give Lucy, like when Lucy failed a test in a subject she struggled in.

~ Marceau

Helena hadn’t realized she needed a hug until Marceau pulled her in tight. Her head ending up in his shoulder, and his brave pilot began to cry.

“Ca va aller, mon pilote intrepide,” Marceau said softly to her as she cried, hugging her tightly. (It’s going to be okay, my brave pilot.) He sat in silence with her for a little while, letting her cry quietly against him.

No sobs or blubbering but a strong rushing release of fear and adrenaline as the horrible memory returned. After long moments with her only the sound of the crackle and hiss of the fire, the worst seemed to be over. Helena hugged him back and then sat up wiping her face on the sleeve of her jacket. “I’m sorry,Marceau. I didn’t think…I didn’t know it would be an issue. I honestly didn’t even think about it. I guess I owe everyone an apology.”

Helena

“If you owe them an apology, then do I owe them one for being afraid to fly?” Marceau asked. “We aren’t going to run into dogs in space. Most likely. We are going to have to fly… beaucoup.” (A lot). He looked at her and smiled. “So nothing to apologize for, yes?”

~ Marceau

Helena looked at him a moment and then a little smile peeked out. “Maybe not an apology, but an explanation. We are lucky we were in camp. If we had been hiking I could have really been hurt in the dark and taken someone with me.” That idea didn’t sit well with her. She did reach over and squeeze his hand. “Yes we have to fly, but I will do the flying, yes?” She asked in a gentle imitation of him. “But there is no guarantee we won’t see,” she shuddered slightly, “dogs or something like them on alien planets. I will have to find a way to control my fear.” Like you do she thought. Marceau was afraid but he never screamed or fainted from that fear.

Helena

Marceau nodded. “An explanation then.” He looked at her and smiled, “Right… You’ll fly.” There was a note of nervousness in his voice. He didn’t scream, unless there was bad turbulence, and he never fainted, instead he sat in silent panic, hanging on to whatever was closest to him, clenching until all his muscles were sore. “I will deal with the space dogs, and you’ll fly me.” He said it like it was fact, with certainty as he smiled again.

~ Marceau

“Deal.” She wanted nothing to do with space dogs. She reached over and squeezed his hand. “When you make Capt I’ll fly you to your first ship and be your pilot. Until then I’ll still fly you wherever and whenever I can.” Helena bumped his shoulder gently but instead of sitting up she just leaned there with him. They both should sleep but Helena was very sure she wouldn’t settle enough, and certainly not outside. After awhile Marceau helped her move her bedroll back to her tent and hobble into it.

Marceau raised a brow and looked at her. “When I make Captain? What makes you think I’m that good?” He asked, chuckling a little. “But either way… I hope you will fly me whenever we can.”

She gave him a look that conveyed a single word ‘Seriously?’ “You have a way with people. You put them at ease, get them to talk and listen but you do as well. Good qualities in a commanding officer.”

The next morning felt to early, but Helena was up. They split into 4 groups, Helena staying with the group at camp. The search for the clues began.

Helena

The clues led to some rations and water, to hold them over for the next part of their mission. The clues led them to locations, where they had to search for each thing. It took almost all day to find them all.

~ Marceau

The third group called back over the short ranged comms after lunch. They found a large stash of crates. They needed help. Helena and Flenza stayed at the camp and Emilio and Alvida went to help, since the other two groups weren’t back yet.

The crates contained helmets, life jackets, waterproof cases for their electronic and personal gear. Kenneth opened the envelope they found with the crates that evening. “We’re going rafting. We have two days to get 50 miles. We can take a day to repack and rest and hike the next or arrive early.” He summarized after reading.

“I think I would rather arrive early,” Marceau commented.

That was the general consensus from the rest of the squad after making sure everyone who had had bumps and bruises and strained muscles were good to start the long hike the next day.

That evening, in addition to deciding how they would proceed, Helena, embarrassed but determined, explained to the rest what had happened and why.

Helena

When Helena finished explaining what had happened, Marceau found himself speaking up too, “I have a fear of flying. I hate planes. I hope I never need to pilot anything.” Then he looked away, embarrassed, and instead smiled a little at Helena.

~ Marceau

Helena squeezed his hand for a moment and gave him a reassuring smile. “We’re all afraid of something.” Kenson shrugged and grinned at Helena and winked at her, releasing some of the tension around the group, “Guess that means we just gotta make sure Helena gets a sedative the nights of the full moon.” Jones patted her shoulder and sat down on her other side, opposite of Marceau, “Yeah, think I agree there. The other option is to give you a plasma gun, and you’re an okay shot, but I don’t wanna come back from ‘personal’ business and get shot.” They all laughed at that, Helena included. Except for Gerard who seemed to take offense on her behalf. “It’s alright Helena, you can stay with me.”

It was awkward and Helena knew he meant well, but she just wasn’t interested, and there was silence for a moment from everyone. “I appreciate it Gerard, but unless you can learn to growl, bark, and howl in a way that tells those beasts to go away and not eat me, I’ll stay with Yvette. Have you guys SEEN her in hand-to-hand practice.” They all had heard of course, Yvette was fierce and she’d been asked to transfer to security out of science but she didn’t want to. Helena wasn’t sure if Gerard would try to learn to communicate with dogs over this.

They all went to bed and started out the next morning for their next location.

Helena

“No barking needed. Only weapons.” Marceau grinned, “As long as the one with the fear is not the one using them? I would stand guard with you.” The next day, the hike felt long and hard. “I will be glad if I never have to hike again,” Marceau commented, right before he tripped and found himself sprawled on the ground. He was fine, just living up to his reputation of “not the most graceful.”

~ Marceau

Marceau wasn’t the only one to trip, slip, fall, or get a scrape that day. Helena took it slow and there was no horrible damage to her ankle but after a few hours of hiking it was tired and tried to give out a few times. When they arrived though it was almost like a party. The area was clear and easy to set up for the tents, but the best part was the site was on the banks of a deep pool that was at the bottom of a waterfall. Those inclined swam and even had a makeshift bath. Billy hung back though and when Akela asked him about it the other pilot sighed and then raised his voice to be heard. If Helena and Marceau could admit their problems so could he. “So you all should know…I’m not afraid of the water, I’m afraid of drowning. I never learned how to swim.”

That started impromptu swimming lessons for the rest of the day for Billy. That was a good thing because they spent the next four learning how to white water raft, followed by a three day drip down stream, through rapids to their next destination.

Helena

Marceau did not have the same problem with boats and water that he did with planes and he actually enjoyed the white water rafting despite the difficulty of the rapids they were to do. It was easier to him than all the walking and he was thankful it wasn’t something like rock climbing or flying something. So those three days went by fairly quickly for him and the team was off to their next mission destination.

~ Marceau

Billy made it through the rapids, though he would never enjoy being in the water. They put him in the middle of the raft and that kept him from getting hit by the worst of the rapids.

Their destination was a welcome sight. Not just the end of a three day trek down the river but there were bunk houses. That meant running water for showers and the chance to clean their clothes and maybe real food rather than ration packs.

They were greeted and told to pick a bunk house, make use of the amenities. They were told that only one other squad had arrived so far. That training would commence once all the teams had arrived so enjoy the down time. They had already learned not to waste time. Gear was inspected, cleaned, and repaired. Trash they had been carrying properly disposed of, and everyone given a check for scrapes and cuts and ticks.

The bunk house was one large bedroom, a dorm style bathroom with seceral sinks, stalls, and showers, and a common room with kitchen. And LAUNDRY MACHINES! Not one person in the squad was not happy about that. Helen tossed her gear on one of the top bunks and then went rummaging through cabinets and the refrigerator to see what was there.

Helena

Marceau made a beeline for the showers. It had been far too long since he had one and his thick and curly hair did not like not having access to showers. Once he was out of the shower, he went looking for food in the refrigerator. He picked something out and then chose the bunk closest to Helena’s, settling in with his bag. He was ready to go home, wondering if this was going to be the last mission. It seemed like it, since all of the squads would be there. Lucky they had beens second to arrive, that meant more downtime for them.

~ Marceau

Kenneth, Kenson, and Jones had gone to ‘scout out’ what was up. Gerard and Akela were arguing over what kind of meal they could make in the kitchen. Everyone else was scattered about. Helena, had grabbed a shower and was now on her bunk, feet bopping, fingers tapping, lip syncing to the music playing in her ears. She felt the bunk move as someone claimed the bed beneath hers. She rolled over onto her stomach and hung her head over and grinned. “Marceau! Is that you? I didn’t recognize you without all the dirt.” She laughed, then swung down and plopped herself at the end of his bed. “Didn’t recognize myself in the mirror either.” She looked at him for a minute, her head tipped to the side. “So how are you doing? Do you think Lucy has forgiven you?” Marceau had been quiet the last few days and Helena figured he was probably missing her. They hadn’t exactly left things on a positive note.

Helena