It was simply easier this way. Even though the outright hostility exhibited by nearly all of the crew had faded to a grudging acceptance, Rachel was reluctant to spend much time in their presence. It wasn't that she feared for her safety; at no point did she feel threatened, a testament to their immense respect for their commanding officer. Still, she felt the weight of her lies and half-truths even more keenly with their eyes on her back. Retreating to her quarters seemed the best possible choice, even if it did seem cowardly.
Still, she couldn't help the small twinge in her chest at the sound of laughter and excited chatter that quickly faded behind her as she left the messdeck, bottle of water in one hand and a paper bag containing dinner in the other. The thought of spending her evening alone, shut inside her quarters, was pathetically depressing. So at the turn in front of her Rachel headed right instead of left and eventually walked out onto the ship's deck.
She immediately made her way to the stern, giving the sailors on deck patrol a small, friendly smile as she passed by them. Now here was one good thing about living on a ship; one could just stand out here and gaze up in awe at the stars that sparkled brightly against the broad canvas of the nighttime sky. She'd even found the perfect location for star-gazing: a cozy balcony in the shadow of the superstructure.
At the foot of the ladder Rachel transferred everything to her left and was about to place a hand on the rung when a shadow suddenly loomed over her.
"Oh! I- I didn't know someone was here," she stammered as she took a step back. "I'll just go—"
"It's all right," Mike informed her as he began to climb down the ladder. "I was just about to return to the bridge." He gave her a nod of acknowledgment, brief but not hostile. As he turned to go, his gaze fell on the items she carried in her hand. A crease formed between his brows but in a blink of an eye it was gone, leaving Rachel wondering if she'd imagined it.
"It may not seem like it," he said thoughtfully, "but everyone appreciates your presence on this ship. We know you're doing your best." Mike looked at her then, and there was no mistaking the sincerity in his expression.
Rachel was stunned. That this man, who'd made it plainly clear that he didn't trust her, did so now was so unexpected that she hardly knew what to say.
"Thank you…for that." A small part of her winced at the hesitant tone of her reply but he seemed to take no offense.
"Enjoy the rest of your evening Doctor Scott." With a final nod, he walked off, his departure taking a little bit of the weight that had been resting on her shoulders.