Posted by Captain Marceau Renault (Commanding Officer) in Side sim: Faced Fears and… Wrecked Quarters

Posted by Lieutenant Helena Laursen (Helm/Navigation Officer) in Side sim: Faced Fears and… Wrecked Quarters

Posted by Captain Marceau Renault (Commanding Officer) in Side sim: Faced Fears and… Wrecked Quarters
Posted by… suppressed (24) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)
Marceau was asleep when Helena woke up. She carefully got up and took a fresh uniform into the bathroom. She took her time, being as quiet as possible. Her hair was braided and she zipped up her jumpsuit as she came out. She sat at her desk and slipped her boots on and tied them.

She wasn’t due for duty for awhile, so she pulled a book down and leaned back, feet propped on her desk, and read.

Lt. Laursen, Helm/Navigation Officer

When he woke up, he still felt tired. He noticed that Helena wasn’t next to him and looked around, spotting her reading. “How long have you been up?”

~ Capt Renault

She looked up and smiled while she closed the book. “About an hour. I’m not due on the bridge for awhile, and didn’t want to wake you. How are you feeling?”

Lt. Laursen, Helm/Navigation Officer

Marceau shrugged. “Tired. Not well. It’s just the stress.” He sat up and stretched. “I am due on the bridge when you are.”

~ Capt Renault

Helena nodded, “You have to try and eat and maintain a semblance of normalcy. Not just for the crew, Marceau, but for yourself. I’ve heard you lecture enough people about it. What is that old saying? ‘Physician, Heal Thyself.’ But on a more practical note. I’m going to head down to the galley. It’s no secret that we are friends, nor that your quarters aren’t fit for occupation. But better to not cause tongues to wag. Right now people will look for anything to distract from what happened.” She dropped her feet and moved to sit next to him. She didn’t care if people knew, and she knew Marceau didn’t either, and there were no rules against it, but there was such a thing as discretion, privacy, and professionalism. “So get another shower if you like, get ready and then come have breakfast with me.” She leaned in and kissed him. “I hate to go.”

Lt. Laursen, Helm/Navigation Officer

Marceau hugged her quickly. “I’ll see you in a few minutes. Go, have breakfast.” He said. He stood and started getting ready for a quick shower.

~ Capt Renault

“Alright, I’ll see you in a bit.” Helena got up and left. She headed down the corridor to the lift. The galley was busier than it had been. People coming off shifts and long nights of repairs, and those gearing up for the start of their own shifts. Helena got in line and grinned. Chef had gone all out this morning. Waffles, bacon, eggs, pancakes, sausage, fruit, quiche, and more. She loaded a plate, made a cup of hot tea and then took a seat at a still empty table.

Lt. Laursen, Helm/Navigation Officer

Marceau had a quick shower, got ready, then went down to the galley and picked up another bagel with cream cheese and a tea and sat at the same table as Helena. “How is your breakfast?”

~ Capt Renault

Helena grinned, “It’s great. But I may end up with indigestion from the sausage. It’s soon good though.”

Lt. Laursen, Helm/Navigation Officer

Marceau smiled and took a little bite of his bagel. “I’m glad. I’m not looking forward to duty though.”

~ Capt Renault

“It won’t be too bad. We won’t be leaving orbit for a bit. You could probably do a walk through of the ship. You don’t have to stay on the bridge.” That was one thing that made Marceau such a great CO. He cared about his crew. He didn’t sit in his department office and simply issue orders, he got involved with what was going on officially and in their lives. He wasn’t some lofty figure for the general masses to look upon.

Lt. Laursen, Helm/Navigation Officer

“I should do that,” Marceau said with a sigh. “Assess damage and injuries and see how the ship is doing. And then I have to…” and he started listing things, getting more worked up as he went on.

~ Capt Renault

Helena let him go on for a minute. “Captain.” She waited for him to look at her. “It sounds like you need a check list, and then delegate, and a do not disturb sign for your ready room.” It was no mistake that Helena quoted what she had overheard Kenneth telling him on a few occasions.

Lt. Laursen, Helm/Navigation Officer

He looked at her as soon as she said “Captain”. As soon as she said it, he knew where she’d gotten it from and he smiled. “You’re right. I will write a checklist.”

~ Capt Renault

She grinned. “Good.” Kenneth had been a source of calm when things seemed to much, for all of them. Marceau was rarely ruffled, and when he was he hid it well. Kenneth had been a great match for him. When one was too strict or too deep in the mire, the other was always able to maintain perspective. There were times Helena wished the Blackhacks could serve their whole careers together. “It will get done.”

Lt. Laursen, Helm/Navigation Officer

Marceau nodded. “I’m sure it will,” he said. “I need to relax. I don’t know what to do.” He said, looking at Helena as if for direction or advice.

~ Capt Renault

“Go back to your roots,” she said simply. “Go visit the people in sickbay. Dr. Grey and her staff are amazing, but reassurance from the Captain goes a long way, especially a captain who is also a doctor.” She sipped her tea, “Then lock yourself under the readyroom and make that list. Then delegate, then do what you can’t delegate.”

Lt. Laursen, Helm/Navigation Officer

“Okay,” Marceau said. His hand shifted, like he might reach for hers, but then he stopped, not wanting to make their relationship obvious. “I will see you later, then.”

~ Capt Renault

Helena grinned at him. Her usually cheekyself, but there was more there that only he would notice. “Aye, Sir.” She got up, set a seemingly friendly hand in his shoulder and gave it a squeeze. She returned her tray and headed for the bridge.

Lt. Laursen, Helm/Navigation Officer

Marceau did as she suggested, walked the ship, visited with medical, then went to his ready room and made a list of things to be done and who each thing could be done by or given to. When he was done with that, it was near the end of his daily shift and he left it on his desk to take another walk around the ship.

~ Capt Renault

Helena’s shift was mostly boring. They were staying in orbit for the time being. She gave a helping hand as needed for repairs, she plotted their course home, and watched the derelict cargo ships in the viewer.

She left the bridge to do a check on the shuttle’s. It wasn’t needed, she did it after her runs yesterday, but it didn’t hurt. At the end of her shift she went back to her quarters. She was going to change and go to the gym.

Lt. Laursen, Helm/Navigation Officer

Marceau ran into her in the hallway. He looked stressed and he’d been speed walking down the corridor. “Helena? Going to the gym?”

~ Capt Renault

Helena nodded, “I don’t want Dr. Grey to fuss at me for not doing my exercises. Feel like going?”

Lt. Laursen, Helm/Navigation Officer

He paused and thought for a moment. “I will go with you, but I don’t feel like exercising myself.” He smiled, “You think Doctor Grey will fuss at you if you don’t do them?”

~ Capt Renault

“Exercise might be a good way for you to release some of the stress, and you know it.” He needed to find a way before he developed a full blown ulcer. “Oh I know you will fuss, but she scares me.” Helena laughed as she paused and turned toward his quarters, “Change and you can help me with my exercises.”

Lt. Laursen, Helm/Navigation Officer

Marceau gave her a look. “I don’t scare you? Do I need to make my doctor look scarier?” He asked her, shaking his head at her. “Okay,” he agreed as they turned towards his quarters.

~ Capt Renault

Helena shook her head vigorously, “No, no, nope. I am very scared when you use that doctor look. I would never ever defy anything Dr. Renault said to me. I wouldn’t even think it.”

Lt. Laursen, Helm/Navigation Officer

Marceau grinned as they entered his quarters. “Good.” He said. His quarters were being repaired, burned things were thrown away, damage worked on by engineering, but there was a ways to go. He found something to change into and changed in the bathroom. Then he rejoined Helena. “Ready?”

~ Capt Renault

“Of course.” A few minutes later they were in the gym. Helena grabbed a couple of mats and set them side by side. Then she sat and began to stretch.

Lt. Laursen, Helm/Navigation Officer

Marceau sat next to her. “Tell me what you need me to do and I will do it.” He said, watching as she started her stretches.

~ Capt Renault

Helena handed over the instructions that she’d been given on the stretches, resistance bands, weights, and other exercises. “You’ll probably understand that better than my faltering explanations.” She grinned, “And that way you can make sure I’m doing it right, rather than having to give me your scary disappointed doctor glare.”

Lt. Laursen, Helm/Navigation Officer