A matter of pronounciation

Posted on 03 Feb 2022 @ 17:44 by Lieutenant Commander Ciara Mcclellandi

Episode: E1: A Historic Voyage
Location: USS Arizona, Wardroom
Timeline: Date 2025-04-08 at 1100

Around this time Ciara headed in to the wardroom for her secret stash of tea. Like most submariners she lived and thrived on coffee, she still had part of her mid day was a nice cup of something that her mom used to have at home when she wasn't working.

When she was a junior officer on the Alabama, she had learned to hide stuff she brought aboard because there was always a chance of someone grabbing your stuff, so she had learned to hide the treat of home. Amusingly it was Earl Grey, as opposed to what was expected of Irish breakfast.

As she finished her doctoring she turned to see their Canadian colleague, his rank insignia a bit different from the US ones. "Good morning leftenant. Settling in ok?"

"Leftenant-commander," Rhys smiled lifting his mug as he had been reading up on homework he had assigned himself with a technical manual which laid across the table in the wardroom. In a lot of his downtime, he studied to keep his mind active with information. He lifted up his mug of coffee to his lips while he looked up at her, "Settling back into things after being on leave for a week. But looking forward to going back to open sea for the first time in eight-something months."

"I know the feeling, It will be nice to get out on the sea again. Or in our case, under the sea." She sat down, "Only regret I won't see my brother get sworn in as a Ranger, but I'll see them when I get back."

"I see military service runs in your family as well and congratulations to your brother," Rhys held his mug up in congratulatory.

"Thank you." She paused for a second, "It does in some ways, though he got out when I was finishing high school, he's been working as a Trooper with the Department of Public Safety. He's being sworn in as a Texas Ranger, a special investigator statewide. He was a Ranger when he was in though."

"I stand mistaken I thought he was joining the U.S. Army Rangers," Rhys smiled as he set his mug back down on the table and folded the manual up, and set it aside.

She chuckled, "Oh he did that when I was a girl, got out though, all his bits still attached. " She paused, "Now he spoils his kids and wife when he's not policing."

Rhys chuckled lightly alongside her as he brought the mug back to his lips, "Well that's a good thing, Leftenant-commander. Sorry that you won't be able to see him being sworn in."

"I will see him and his family when they come up once we're back, show them around as much as we can."

"That sounds very nice to see them and show them the area. The Pacific Northwest is gorgeous. I drove down to Portland during my shore leave to take in the sites. I mostly likely return to Halifax to visit my folks on the next leave when we get back if I'm not recalled back to Country."

"It is rather lovely, more green than West Texas that's for sure. All that's out there is scrub brush, tumbleweeds, oil pumps and dry grass."

"That's how I've always pictured Texas but I've never been."

"It is an interesting state." She sipped her tea, "But it has some lovely parts." She shrugged, "Though the Northwest in some ways reminds me of Ireland, when my family went back."

"You'd love Halifax then, might remind you of the Irish seaside."

"I will pass that along to my parents, they've been in the US for years but they get homesick."

"Victoria on Vancouver Island is also like that as well and closer to you if they want a two-for-one," Rhys smiled.

"Sounds nice, I will definitely pass that along, and after you retire from the Navy, you have a future with the board of tourism." Ciara smiled before picking up her notebook. "And on that note, I'm off to engineering."

"I plan on being a lifer but good to know that I've got something on the backburner," Rhys finished his coffee and stood up, "And I should probably head back to my station. Good chat with you, Leftenant-commander."