07-18-2026, 01:19 AM
Hallowette's expression softened as Mara spoke. She hadn't expected the answer to carry quite so much weight, and for a brief moment she found herself thinking of Cardassia and Trill, of her Mother's lifelong distance and the complicated feelings that often accompanied returning to places that no longer fit the memories they carried - or worse that remind you that feelings of nostalgia are sometimes predicated on truths that never really existed in the first place. She looked to each woman at the table. Home, she had long ago realized, had very little to do with geography.
"I'm glad you're back too," she said simply, meeting Mara's eyes for a moment. There wasn't an attempt to soften what the Chief had described or search for something reassuring to say. It simply seemed important that someone answered her honesty with some of their own. "I think the Artemis - everyone here, is better for having you here."
Her smile returned, lighter now, as Mara asked if everyone was ready to get underway again.
"I think so, yeah." She nodded. "Though I've yet to receive my orders." A brief wave of anxiety crossed her fair features, "I'd love to assume I'm back at the helm, but I know that probably isn't likely." She pursed her mouth in resignation, " Lt. Grant took a chance on me, and I've heard rumors he may have transferred, so hopefully the Captain was happy enough with my performance that she gives me another shot someday. I'd even take a rotation in OPS..." Her mouth drew itself into a mischievous grin, "Though I must admit...flying this girl was...pretty awesome."
Lucy began to describe the geology of the Lake District with the same enthusiasm Ju spoke about Korean food or Mara used when speaking about CQB. Hally listened with genuine interest, fascinated less by the rocks themselves than by the obvious joy they brought the science officer. It reminded her that everyone seemed to have something capable of making the rest of the galaxy disappear for a while.
Ju asked how Lucy had become interested in geology. Hally smiled quietly into her beneer juice and left the question for Lucy to answer.
"I'm glad you're back too," she said simply, meeting Mara's eyes for a moment. There wasn't an attempt to soften what the Chief had described or search for something reassuring to say. It simply seemed important that someone answered her honesty with some of their own. "I think the Artemis - everyone here, is better for having you here."
Her smile returned, lighter now, as Mara asked if everyone was ready to get underway again.
"I think so, yeah." She nodded. "Though I've yet to receive my orders." A brief wave of anxiety crossed her fair features, "I'd love to assume I'm back at the helm, but I know that probably isn't likely." She pursed her mouth in resignation, " Lt. Grant took a chance on me, and I've heard rumors he may have transferred, so hopefully the Captain was happy enough with my performance that she gives me another shot someday. I'd even take a rotation in OPS..." Her mouth drew itself into a mischievous grin, "Though I must admit...flying this girl was...pretty awesome."
Lucy began to describe the geology of the Lake District with the same enthusiasm Ju spoke about Korean food or Mara used when speaking about CQB. Hally listened with genuine interest, fascinated less by the rocks themselves than by the obvious joy they brought the science officer. It reminded her that everyone seemed to have something capable of making the rest of the galaxy disappear for a while.
Ju asked how Lucy had become interested in geology. Hally smiled quietly into her beneer juice and left the question for Lucy to answer.