Starship Camaraderie

Posted on Sun Jun 15th, 2025 @ 12:20am by Ensign Noa Oku & Ensign Erin Andala

1,027 words; about a 5 minute read

The soft relaxed murmur of voices drifted around the lounge. It was one of the few places on the ship where officers could unwind so the atmosphere was relaxed. Erin sat at a corner table, sipping from a glass of sparkling water. She had just ended from her shift in the science lab where the paperwork had been as demanding as the long hours of observation related to the project she had been assigned to work on. So coming to the ship's small lounge for a quiet moment to unwind had seemed to be a good idea.

Noa hid a yawn as she entered the lounge. The one thing she hadn't expected on being out in the field had been just how much the workload increased compared to the classroom. She had skipped field studies during her time at the academy, and she was starting to see that it might have been a bad idea. Seeing her fellow ensign from science, Noa walked over and smiled. "Hey," she said.

“Hey,” Erin said, waving her hand for Noa to sit down. “You’re a little late, but I saved you a seat.”

Noa’s smile widened as she sat down. “Thanks. It's been such an adjustment getting used to the work assignments,” she said as she slid into the chair across from Erin “So, how’s your day been?”

Erin shrugged, setting her glass down. “It’s been a lot.” She leaned back in her chair, folding her arms. “I mean, Starfleet Academy was great and all, but here the pressure’s real. It’s not like they throw you into the deep end and expect you to swim, but there is a lot more to being on a starship compared to the classrooms at the academy.”

Noa nodded, her eyes thoughtful. “I know what you mean. The Academy made everything feel theoretical, like we were always preparing for a 'what if' scenario. But now we’re really in the thick of it. There’s no simulation or training wheels to rely on.”

Erin raised an eyebrow. “You’re telling me. I had to re-calibrate the science lab’s analysis equipment this morning, and I was pretty sure I was going to make a mistake at some point. I feel that everyone just expects you to know it. There’s no teaching moment or period of adjustment.”

“I know. It seems that it’s all about results.” Noa said as she leaned forward slightly. “I’ve spent my whole career up until now thinking about the theoretical side of things, how the science is supposed to work, but it’s so different when you have to apply it. The pressure to get it right is intense.”

“Exactly,” Erin agreed. “And now you don't have professors who are there to teach you and correct your mistakes. You have fellow officers. You don’t want to let anyone down, but there’s this constant feeling that you’re being watched and it doesn't always seem that it's in a good way. They’re just waiting for you to mess up.”

Noa paused and nodded. Her eyes softened slightly as she seemed to process what Erin had said. “I get that. But I don’t think anyone expects us to be perfect and to know everything. At least not right away. We’re here because we’ve shown we can handle the basics. The rest will come in time.”

Erin gave her a half-smile. “You’re probably right but I thought it would feel different. I thought I’d be walking around feeling like I belonged. But it feels like I’m pretending most of the time. Like I’ve been thrust into this role I’m not sure I’m fully ready for.”

Noa nodded, and for a brief moment her eyes hinted at something that seemed to be an understanding. “I feel the same way. I guess at the Academy everything was planned for you. You were always one step ahead because the expectations were clear. But here, it’s all about adapting. And not just to the ship, but to the people. And I’m still figuring out how to do that.”

“I thought I’d feel like an officer by now,” Erin admitted, her voice quiet for a second. “But instead, it feels like I’m just pretending to be one.”

Noa’s smile grew warmer. “It’s not just you. I think we’re all in the same boat. Even the veterans. We’re not supposed to have all the answers. They’ve all been there at some point, and I’m sure they’re still figuring things out. We’re new, inexperienced, and that’s okay.”

Erin sighed slowly, feeling the weight lift off her shoulders just a little. She nodded as she felt the tension in her body starting to ease. "Maybe you're right. It’s most likely that it's so different here than at the Academy. But we’ll figure it out."

Noa nodded as she took another sip of her water with a smile still lingering on her lips. “We’re doing fine so far. If it gets too tough we can always vent to each other. I’m sure no one on this ship can relate quite the way we can.”

Erin chuckled as she spoke. “That's pretty close to the truth.” It didn't take long for her smile to fade and her laughter to die down again. She sat in silence, with the faint chatter of their fellow officers filling the space around them. For the first time since she had boarded the Eclipse, Erin felt a small sense of calm settle over her. Noa’s presence seemed reassuring as a reminder that she wasn’t alone in this. They both had a lot to learn and she hoped that they would learn it together.

“Tomorrow’s going to be another busy day,” Erin finally said, raising her glass in a quiet toast.

Noa raised her own glass, her eyes meeting Erin’s with a glint of camaraderie. “But we’ll get through it together,” she said with a smile.

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