Casual Chat - Camryn

Posted on Tue Jun 9th, 2026 @ 10:25am by Commodore Phoenix Lalor-Richardson & Lieutenant Camryn Shepard

Mission: Interlude
Location: Commodore's Ready Room, Deck 1, USS Elysium
420 words - 0.8 OF Standard Post Measure

The Commodore smiled as Shepard stepped in, lifting her mug slightly in greeting. “Hey—don’t worry, nothing’s broken.” She set the mug down and motioned toward the sitting area. “Come sit—want something? Tea, coffee?”

The door opened as Cam entered with a clean uniform. She looked around, pausing for a thought Uhh, oh good. Wasn't worried for a second. Huh. Oh snap! Coffee or tea??? Decisions

"Tea. Herbal blend. Thanks."

Oh God, why did I thank her???"

She casually walked in, subconsciously tugging her uniform down to compose herself professionally. If a commodore invites you to a 'casual chat' and offers you a choice between tea or coffee, chose the one that won't make you spiral.

Phoenix moved to pour, tone light but attentive. “I just wanted to catch you for a few minutes.” Settling into the chair, she leaned forward slightly. “How’s Engineering really doing? Anything you’re quietly wrestling with down there?”

Staying casual, she moved over to sit down and nodded, "Oh engineering is doing good. Nothing I can't handle. We're all working hard. I've been keeping an eye out for trouble, but we're in good shape. The team's solid, stepping up."

"And have you noticed any changes in your teams demeanour or attitude?" Phoenix asked. "I am asking because I want to make sure the crew are taking the time for themselves."

Cam thought for a few moments, taking a quick sip of her tea before replying, "I don't speak for them, but I do keep an eye on them. And they come to me with issues. I rotate shifts to make it easy for everyone so that we don't have any burnouts. I'm part El Aurian, so I listen to them. I get these shifts and I occasionally take the time out of my work to talk with them."

"So you will notice if they are struggling?" Phoenix asked curious.

Cam took a moment to think to herself, humming only slightly and nodded, smiling, "Yes. I'm not entirely reclusive. I watch everything. Machines. People. Space. Don't worry. I can tinker and listen to people at the same time."

She settled into the chair further, sipping her tea while expecting the conversation to remain casual. If anything was up or important, she would immediately grasp it and explain.

"Good. I want you to make sure they take their breaks when needed. I know Engineering is facing a lot of repairs and I do not want them breaking,"

OFF