Nathanial entered the hall, and just as he had predicted, it was empty. He walked over to the replicator. "Caesar Salad, extra chicken and parmesan" he said to the replicator. A few seconds later his salad was ready. He sat down and looked at the plate in front of him, something had caused him to crave Caesar salad of late, he wasn't sure why, after all, back when he was in the Academy he didn't like the taste of it at all, funny how ones tastes can change over time. He lifted his fork and began to eat.
Walking through the doors to the galley he bee lined to the replicator, it was too late for a proper meal so he chose to dial up some toasted ham and cheese sandwiches. Finally taking note of his surroundings he noticed Lieutenant Doyle sitting down to a meal, making his way over he broke the otherwise relative silence by inquiring. "Evening Lieutenant is this seat taken?"
Nathanial looked up slightly startled, he had lost himself in a thought and had not noticed Thomas enter, nor approach. He quickly composed himself and before he was able to acknowledge who or what had asked the question he instinctively replied "Its all yours!"
Nathanial watched Thomas sit down, his head aligning itself back with the present he took note of the weariness in Thomas's eyes. He was also in a similar state. He chucked.
"Sorry Sir I think I missed the punch line." Thomas said smiling as he took a seat and then a bite of his meal.
"Appologies Ensign , I mean Thomas, I was just thinking what a sorry pair of exhausted science type guys we are at this moment!" he laughed. Nathanial was surprising glad that Thomas had appeared, he was seeking solace, but there was something about the Ensign that... well he couldn't put a word to it at the moment, it was just.. comfortable, yeah that would do. He thought about the ingenuity that they both shared, 'pushing the limits' he had heard it being called, mind you he had also heard it being called 'fool hearted' and 'insane' but not as often.
Thomas laughed at the comment. "Oh it could be worse; we could be exhausted engineer types. Though I'll give it to them I swear some of them haven't slept since the nebula." He replied chuckling as he took another bite of his meal.
Nathanial joined the chuckle, he continued on his salad, enjoying it slightly more than he was before. "So Thomas, talking about engineering, do you think the ship holding together is reminissant of the Creationism theory?" he said inbetween bites, with a big grin on his face.
"Creationism!" Thomas exclaimed still with a smirk on his face as he sat back. "Well I defiantly believe that if you looked at that entire event the chances of being able to recreate it with the same result consistently would be beyond difficult. So it becomes conceivable that the entire event was simply pre ordained by intelligent design and delivered as fate?" He chuckled before continuing. "It's possible. Albeit only via the proxy that there is no definitive proof to the contrary."
"Are you considering a more theological angle in your next report?" Thomas asked still chuckling.
Nathanial nearly chocked when he heard the comment, still smiling he replied "I doubt that would go down well, how would it start, 'Chief Engineers Report Startdate xxxxxx. God has decided to maintain our ship while the engineers are attempting to fix it, meanwhile The science department have been punished for thier sins with the Astrometrics lab and my office being some of hte most heavily damaged sections of the ship. I have taken up pennance and will continue my our fathers and hail mary's in hope that my office will be restored soon!" he finished and took a drink from his glass.
"Amen To that, I hear the loss of all life support to the deck helped put the worst of the fires out." He replied, his chuckles growing into a laughter. Without a drink he raised one of the slices of his sandwich into the air before taking a bite of it.
"Although I would probably fear for that deity's safety if our good 'Tyrant of the Charon' found out that there was something responsible for that whole encounter, not to forget most of engineering and operations. Over the last few weeks I have passively learnt to fluently swear in Klingon, Romulan, Andorian and I believe Italian."
Nathanial joined in the laughter, it was a great release of tention and overhanging worry to be able to just 'let it out' but he knew that inbetween the laughs, they were both thinking of how close to death they and the ship had come. Changing the topic slighty he asked. "I've been asked by the captain to show the Vulcans around the Sensor Pod, and was wondering if yuo would like to assist me?"
Nathanial joined in the laughter, it was a great release of tension and overhanging worry to be able to just 'let it out' but he knew that in-between the laughs, they were both thinking of how close to death they and the ship had come. Changing the topic slightly he asked. "I've been asked by the captain to show the Vulcan's around the Sensor Pod, and was wondering if you would like to assist me?"
"I'll be glad to help. I had heard they are high up members of the Vulcan Science Council. I'm sure they could tell us more about half the equipment in the pod." He pondered for a second before continuing. "Here we are under repair in a Romulan shipyard light-years off course and now some of the greatest and influential scientific minds of our age visit us. You know it suddenly makes aspects of the Creationism theory and intelligent design look a whole lot less Theological." As he finished he took another bite of his sandwich, completely unsure if his own last comment was in jest or not.
"Aye sir, 0800. Considering the hour I should check in shortly for a few hours too. Thanks Nathaniel I enjoyed the company too." Thomas replied considering he was now going to be presenting a section of the ship to Vulcan delegates, perhaps another all nighter would not be a suitable course of action.
Nathanial stood up, and headed out the mess hall, pondering the events that had effected the Charon, and if they were really here by a random series of events, or perhaps due to some other force or reason.
Allowing Nathanial to take his leave. The red haired Ensign turned his attention out the window. Relaxing as he finished his savoury meal, watching the slow rotation of the planet as well as the busier traffic around the station before making his way to his quarters for the evening.
