Posted by Lieutenant Helena Laursen (Helm/Nagivation Officer) in side - sim: What No One Else Sees

Posted by Captain Marceau Renault (Commanding Officer) in side - sim: What No One Else Sees

Posted by Lieutenant Helena Laursen (Helm/Nagivation Officer) in side - sim: What No One Else Sees
Posted by… suppressed (39) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)

Helena moved slowly as they left the medical bay. It wasn’t the type of thing that she was going to voice out in the corridor for anyone passing by. They took the lift to the next deck and Helena turned toward Marceau’s quarters at the fore end of the ship. He apparently needed the rest far more than she did.

Helena

Marceau walked with her, still looking like he didn’t feel well with an arm over his belly. He wasn’t letting her help support him though, she’d already been up and around more than he would prefer. When they reached his quarters, he pressed the button to open the door and sat down on the bed. “See, I could’ve scanned myself, would’ve saved us a trip to sickbay.” He said.

~ Marceau

Helena sat down next to him, cross-legged on the bed, facing him. “Marceau…” She looked concerned and worried for him. She shook her head and grinned softly “You could have scanned me and saved me the trip too.”

She took his hand just held it. “Marceau, you are making yourself sick. Talk to me.”

Helena

Marceau wrapped his fingers around her hand and shrugged. “I didn’t know the stress was bad enough to make me sick.” He looked up at her. There was one big thing on his mind, “I don’t want anyone thinking I can’t handle my position.”

~ Marceau

“No one will hear such a vicious lie from me. They won’t hear it from Grey either. The brass selected you for command training when we were cadets. No one thinks you can’t handle it.” Grey was strange but a professional. Why hadn’t he talked to her? “If there is something worrying you, you have Cmdr Grace. That is what she is here for. Or, you know, you could talk to Cpt. Baumann. He’s a CO too. What has you so twisted up?”

Helena

“No one knows I’m sick because of stress. Helena, all we’re doing is travelling through space. What if something happens?” He nodded to her suggestions. The truth was, he’d never talked to anyone because of the flawed idea that they would think poorly of him. “I…” He sighed, “Je sais pas.” Then he held his stomach again and leaned forward. “I guess… When I was a Cadet, I was ‘captain’ of twelve people with a real captain over my shoulder every step of the way. Here, I am Captain of fifty-five people plus we have the eight MACOs aboard, and no one to look over my shoulder within a month of travel.”

~ Marceau

Helena listened quietly not interupting. “Okay, so we have grown from 12 to 55. You know what that means? If something goes wrong that is 43 more people who get to help us find a solution.” She squeezed his hand. “You aren’t supposed to know all the answers. You are supposed to listen to the ideas of the experts around you, and then decide. And again I say Grace and Baumann are going to be huge resources for you. Use them.”

“They’re both great officers. I just… Don’t know what to ask,” Marceau said with another little shrug.

“Perhaps it is not what to ask, but simply having a conversation with them. Get to know them, and then learn how you specifically support each other.”

Helena tipped her head to the side. “Do you remember when we were placed in our squads? You were so nervous because you only knew me and Akela? You were worried you wouldn’t meet the others expectations, or know who to ask if we had a non medical problem. Do you remember what we did?”

“We organized study groups and squad events outside of class.” Marceau replied.

Helena nodded, “We got to know everyone, outside of classes and duty. That is how you best lead Marceau. You need to get out, go to the gym, the mess, walk the ship. Talk to your crew, get to know them, and let them know you. You have never been the type of Commanding Officer to sit behind your desk. And all the ones you looked up to, didn’t either.”

“Besides,” she gave him a sassy look, “I am not an Admiral, but you know I will look over your shoulder and tell you if you are being an idiot.”

Helena

“No.... I suppose I didn’t. I didn’t think I was spending that much time behind a desk though,” Marceau said. He smiled and nodded, “Of course you will.” He was looking like he might hurl again. Clutching his belly and leaning over. “I guess it’s not just that but the job in general too.”

~ Marceau

Helena rubbed his back as he bent over. “It is a lot of responsibility, and it is new. You have had a lot to do getting us started on such short notice. But now it is time to take a breath. Should I get a deck of cards?”

Helena

Marceau looked up at her and smiled. “Poker? Now? We aren’t starting a new mission.” But he was already slowly standing. “I will get the cards. This hasn’t made me forget you need to rest.”

~ Marceau

Helena grinned, “Well we can play with chips then.” She slid over and leaned back against the head board. “Rest? Marceau I took a nap in the med bay, and I am just sitting here. I am being a very good patient for my doctor. So do I get another ‘not a lollipop’?” Then she waggled her brows at him.

Helena

Marceau gave her a playful look, “What chips? I seem to have already misplaced the ones your mom sent in all my stress.” Then he looked at her, smiling, face turning a little red. “If I didn’t think my breath probably smells like sick, then yes.” He picked a deck of cards out of a drawer and then sat down on the bed again, opened the deck and beginning to shuffle.

~ Marceau

Helena laughed. It was a truly happy, relaxed sound as her gaze danced over him. “One of these days we need to tell my mom you don’t need more chips. You could probably build a life size model of the Sojourner with them all.”

Marceau smiled, “We will. Maybe we can send her back some of the ones we have… There must be something besides models of the Sojourner she can do with them.”

She nodded about him being sick. “That’s true, but you have a washroom right there,” she pointed with a wave of her hand, “and a toothbrush.” Then she turned serious, “getting rid of the sick smell might make you feel a little better.”

Helena

“Okay.” He put the deck down in front of her, “You finish shuffling.” He went into the bathroom and spent a few minutes brushing his teeth, rinsing his mouth, and freshening himself up a little. Then he returned to the bed and said, “Now I’m ready to give out ‘not lollipops’.”

~ Marceau

Helena picked up the deck and shuffled the cards over and over making sure they were mixed well. She paused when he came back out and she grinned. “Good because I need incentive to behave myself. Resting is not my thing, and I am being very good.” She shuffled one more time and started dealing cards.

Helena

Marceau blushed again and sat down, close enough to reach her, but far enough she could easily hide her hand. “There will be no not-lollipops if you don’t.” He said, smiling at her. Then he leaned in towards her, “buuut you have been good so far.”

~ Marceau

Eyes widened and an almost goofy grin crossed her face as she leaned towards him. Her heart raced and there was a wonderful weightless feeling. She was so surprised by the flirtatious teasing, she forgot she was holding her cards and dropped them, some flipping face up as they landed (Helena would have to redeal their cards). Where had this side of Marceau been all these years? It was…wow, just wow. Helena completely forgot how her voice worked or what she was going to say.

Helena

The kiss was shorter than Marceau would’ve liked, but he was still feeling pretty sick. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into him. When the kiss ended, he lay his head on her shoulder. “You had a winning hand, Helena.” He commented, looking at the dropped cards.

~ Marceau

Helena’s head was resting on his, careful that her arm was across his chest and not his stomach. She didn’t want to make him feel worse. “What?” She lifted her head so she could look down at her cards. She laughed softly. “Looks like I folded, so you win.” She toed off a shoe and set it in the middle of the bed. “Here, my ante.”

Helena

Marceau laughed. “You’re going to let me win?” He said, looking at her. He reached to pick up the cards, not wanting to move from his position against her. “Lucky I’m not contagious, then I don’t have to make you go away.” He started shuffling the cards and dealing a new hand.

~ Marceau

Helena shook her head. “I put my cards down, technically I folded. I can never tell when you’re bluffing.” Helena took her cards. “If you were contagious Dr Grey would make me go away, you wouldn’t get a choice. Now do you see why she scares me?” She looked at her cards and dropped a shoe and both socks in.

Helena

“Okay, you folded,” Marceau said, looking at his own hand. He looked up at her and smiled, “She isn’t that scary. Not when you’re a doctor and you know her stare is just her doctor look.” Marceau knew Helena knew what he meant because he used his doctor look on her all the time. “We have to be scary as medical officers or stubborn hot shot pilots don’t listen to us.”

~ Marceau

Helena grinned and a shocked laugh came put. “I have no idea what you are talking about, Doctor.” She glanced at her hand and then her bet, “You in or out?”

Helena

Marceau promptly removed a shoe and a sock and placed them on the bed. “I’m in, raise.” He gave Helena a look, “Sure you do, I’ve used it on you last night.”

~ Marceau

Helena looked at him and then away contemplating her next bid, even as she met his raise. “In 13 years I have never seen you look at a patient like that.” She passed him 2 cards. “You start looking at patients like that and I might discover I’m the jealous type.”

Helena

He dealt her two cards and put the other two on the bottom of the deck. Her comment made him look up and grin, “Well, not that look. I think I’d deserve it if you wanted my head if I were looking at patients like that,” he replied, switching out one of his own cards.

~ Marceau

Laughter, wicked and familiar. “Oh I wouldn’t have your head, Marceau. I would just stop piloting your ship.” She looked at her cards, “Call,” and laid them down.

Helena

Marceau gasped, overdramatically and exaggeratedly, “You wouldn’t!” Then he grinned and looked at her pleadingly, “You’d still fly my shuttles though?” Then he laid down his cards - a hand lower than Helena’s.

~ Marceau

Helena was going to be in trouble if he kept asking her for things with that look and tone. Not like she could ever tell him no anyway. “Yeeeesss,” she sighed out like he had finally convinced her, “I will always fly your shuttles.” She looked at the cards and snatched up her winnings, and used his to ante up. Then she shuffled and dealt.

Helena

He pulled off his other shoe and sock to pay in. Then he leaned over and hugged her before she picked up her cards. “Yes!” Then he let her go and leaned away so he could pick up his cards. He slid her three of them.

~ Marceau

She shook her head with a grin. Leaning back against the pillows, Helena glanced at her cards and then at him. She passed him 3 cards and took one for herself. She tossed her ponytail band in.

Helena

He sorted his cards and then, out of shoes and socks to bet, bet his pants. He gave Helena one of his best poker faces as if daring her to bet again.

~ Marceau

Helena grinned and tossed hers in. The problem with a spontaneous game - no extra layers. “Your bet.” It did no good to dare him, Marceau didn’t flinch.

Helena

Marceau had two things left to bet: his shirt and his boxers. He bet his shirt. “And yours again.” He seemed to be doing a little better, but still looked like he didn’t feel well.

~ Marceau

Helena chewed on the inside of her cheek. To late to take new cards. Hmmmm....she was thinking really hard about it and then tossed her shirt into the pile. Should she call or not??? She chose not.

Helena

Marceau bet the last thing he had to bet. He sat back in his spot and looked at Helena. “Are you matching my bet?”

~ Marceau

Helena shook her head slowly and then set her cards in a stack face down. Nope. She’d have nothing left to bet with. Helena took the cards and began to shuffle and deal. The games went back and forth for awhile neither one ever losing everything. Until it was Helena’s turn to start bidding and she sat quiet for a minute. She was starting to ache as the meds wore off and she was tired again.

Helena

Marceau’s poker face wasn’t quite as on point as it usually was, his focus affected by how he felt. He still must have been doing okay, because he wasn’t losing everything. When Helena took a minute to bid, Marceau looked at her, and then his expression turned concerned. He moved next to her and pulled her into him, “Are you okay?”

~ Marceau

Helena leaned against him, resting her head against his shoulder. She didn’t want him to worry, but waving off how she felt would make him worry more. “I’m feeling tired. I’m starting to ache again. Not like yesterday, but noticeable. It’s not time for more though.”

Helena

“Another hour or two and it will be. Maybe we should lay down for a while,” Marceau said, picking up the deck of cards. “Most antacids last around three hours… I will need another one around the same time as you if I still feel like I might throw up.”

~ Marceau

“How are you feeling? Any better?” Helena didn’t offer to move except to rub a hand over her quadricep where it ached dully. “Rest sounds like a good idea.” It wasn’t even lunch yet and Helena was tired. She would be struggling at her post, but she was loathe to admit it.

Helena

Marceau hugged her gently. “Non… My stomach still hurts a lot and I have a headache.” He set the deck of cards aside on the night stand. Then he moved a little to make space for her and laid back, pulling her with him. “Hopefully a little rest will keep your muscles from getting worse.”

~ Marceau