USS Marathon- A lunch time chat

Posted on Mon Dec 23rd, 2024 @ 5:01pm by Lieutenant Helena Wells

1,550 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: A marathon not a sprint
Location: USS Marathon- Mess hall
Timeline: Md03- 1930hrs

The mess hall on the Marathon wasn't much but with only a skeleton crew to cater for it was enough and with no holodecks it was a main hub for both the crews meals and entertainment and right now S'Ralor was partaking in it. Tucking into a nice very rare steak while he watched a live feed of an athletics competition.

Kyle had ordered up a turkey club and fruit juice before making his way over to a table where one of the Petty Officers where eating. “Mind if I join you, S’Ralor?”

S'Ralor had glanced upwards when Kyle entered the mess hall, he'd picked up his scent coming closer longer before the door had opened. "Of course Lieutenant." he said as the man approached, he keyed down the volume on the video feed a little.

“Thank you” Kyle took the seat with a smile. “How are you doing” he asked still wearing the smile on his face.

"Well we've been underway for more than two days and nothing has broken yet." S'Ralor said after a bite of his steak. "So I think we're doing fine."

"Just fine? We can do better than that..." Leo Carter had made his way over, clapping his hand onto Kyle's shoulder warmly on his way past before pulling up a seat to join them.

S'Ralor flashed a toothy smile at the young security officer. "It's easy for you Ensign. You get to potter around a ship with only 10% of its crew onboard making sure no one is hiding anywhere, not keep sophisticated technology online with less crew than you need."

“Sickbay has been pretty quiet” Kyle admitted “other then a few routine things.”

"Just you wait...one day, there will be a time when the proverbial hits the fan, and you'll look back on these days with nostalgia, and think 'remember that time we had nothing to do and even more time to do it in...they were the good days'," Leo teased them as he as he poked at his salad with a fork. Because he was fully aware that this team of high achievers were nothing but frustrated with their current circumstances. But it didn't mean it wasn't fun to tease now and then.

"I'm sure you are right" the doctor took a sip from his drink. "One day I will regret using the q word" he smiled and shrugged it off.

Leo laughed softly, nodding as he leant back to watch them all. "So...what do you think?" he finally asked the million dollar question. "Do you think the ship will make it?"

"I've spent too long working on this ship for us to not make it," S'Ralor said after a bite of steak. "If I have to put on a thruster pack and tow this ship myself that's what I'll do."

Kyle let out a laugh before taking a sip from his cup “I’d like to see that actually.”

Leo couldn't quite help a slight laugh at that image...and that he believed it too. "If we do, do you really think it could change the fleet?" he asked, curious what the techies made of it. He had no idea if one incredibly specialised prototype could really translate to change across an entire fleet.

S'Ralor shrugged slightly. "I hope so. Since the Excelsior failed at doing it people have been trying all the time to get Transwarp to work, it's been over 100 years since Excelsior, someone is ready to stake their reputation on it enough to try a new prototype."

HG overheard some of the conversation. "Because most of the idiots don't have a clue what they are doing. Why do you think this ship is going so slow. They've got stuff all setup but it is sapping the main warp."

"I hope you're not referring to me and my engineering crew Lieutenant." S'Ralor said. "This ship is brand new, its warp coils haven't been proved, and the warp core is only an emergency backup rated for warp 6 at the best."

"No, the engineering crew is fine. It is the way that this thing has been rigged." HG put her hands on her hips. "You're attempting to go transwarp aren't you?"

"Not right now we're not." S'Ralor replied. "After we get to Dakala that's when the remainder of the transwarp components are being fitted and thoroughly tested then they'll attempt it.

Leo glanced up from his plate as the door opened, watching their pilot enter and take a free table over in the far corner. Maybe the surly pilot would finally crack a smile when they did actually attempt the test. "So who gets the new tech named after them?" he glanced around the table with a small smile.

HG shook her head. "I would like to help. Let's just say I have some experience." She turned and walked away. "And if you don't believe me, ask Lieutenant Ash Rowe."

Leo glanced around the others as HG moved away, feeling a twinge of guilt over the suddenly frosty atmosphere as he'd been the one to bring it up. "Well...nice whether we're having out here..." he said with a tight, awkward breath, trying to warm up said atmosphere.

Chuckling slightly S'Ralor stabbed another chunk of steak with his fork. "Scientists..." he remarked.

Leo chuckled softly with him, shaking his head as he pushed his plate away and sat back, sighing with the satisfaction of a good meal. "It can't be easy though. Being thrust into this mission...working with a skeleton crew, logistically need to know...the security team they sent over were less than impressed with my one man operation. This is about as basic as it gets for a lot of Starfleet folk."

"We're a good 20 light years from the nearest border," S'Ralor told the others. "obviously command isn't expecting any trouble or they'd have more than a skeleton crew onboard and a better escort than an older Luna class."

Ethan Winters had been listening in from his table away from the others, even if his eyes were on the PADD he held. Or they're just stupid... he thought wryly. The somewhat taciturn pilot had never believed any level of incompetence was beyond anyone.

"Let's hope you're right," Leo chuckled before easing back in his chair with a sigh, an easy smile on his features. "For my part, I just want to get this lady where she needs to be, change history and be back in time for drinks."

"Plenty of drinks." S'Ralor said, "Me and my engineers deserve a good break after this."

"Well you're going to need it. I mean...you're going to have get yourself ready for all those conference things, you know, for when this works and you folk become super famous..." Leo grinned, unable to help but tease just a little. "Summits...prizes....talks....an audience with...."

"Like us nut busters will get that kind of fame." S'Ralor huffed. "Everyone applauds the scientists that come up with the theory but never the people who help put that into practice."

"Can't you write some kind of paper on it? Get it out there quick?" it was abundantly clear in the way Leo said it that not only did he know nothing about such papers, but he'd also never read one in his life.

S'Ralor finished another chunk of steak as Leo spoke. "From what I've been told this whole project is classified, I'll wind up in a ditch with all my fur shaved off if I shared anything before it's time."

"Sounds like a conspiracy to me," Leo sighed as he stretched his feet out, crossing them at the ankles as he watched him with a small, playful smile. "Once again, the powers that be get all the praise and the people at the bottom of the pole doing all the work get nothing but overtime," his eyes were glinting with humour as he said it though, clearly playing into the whole hierarchy rant trope.

"Yeah..... you commissioned officers get all the glory while I do all the work." S'Ralor chuckled.

"Better believe it," Leo sighed theatrically as he stood, gathering his cup, cutlery and plate together. "It's not easy basking in all that glory, but someone has to do it," the humour was clear in his tone...because his position was less than glamorous.

Savouring the last bite of his steak S'Ralor gathered his plate and cutlery together and stood to take it back to the replicator for recycling. "If you'll excuse me gentlemen, my bunk calls to me."

"I am tired and my shift starts bright and early" the doctor said excusing himself from the group.

"I'm ready for my pillow too," Leo admitted with a chuckle as he got rid of his tray. He glanced over to Ethan Winters who remained at his table. Their eyes met for a moment before Ethan quickly looked back down to his PADD with an air of disinterest. Leo sighed softly, shaking his head as he rolled his eyes and headed out to leave him alone.

OFF:


Lieutenant H.G. Wells
Science officer

LTjg Kyle Poe MD
Medical Officer
[pnpc Hope]

LTjg Ethan Winters
Conn Officer
[pnpc Ash]

Ensign Leo Carter
Security Officer
[pnpc Ash]

Petty Officer S'Ralor
Engineer
[pnpc Taliserra]

 

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