Meeting in Medusa's Head

Posted on 23 Oct 2021 @ 6:36pm by Lieutenant Cassandra Higgins-Stevens

Mission: Picking up the pieces
1708 words - 3.4 OF Standard Post Measure

ON

As he often liked to do, Ethan the blonde haired intelligence officer, went to his favorite spot where he can watch people, and then later on get to know them. He was also keeping an eye out for suspicious behavior. After all Captain Reynolds had asked him and Rose to keep an eye on things. Tonight though, Ethan decided to just watch the crew that were there. He had his back turned towards the window, that showed the streaks of light from the stars that the Andromeda was passing by. While he did that Ethan had a coin that he was weaving through his fingers, keeping them dexterous with this exercise. Ethan often did this when he worked his stage magic, and the coin always seemed to catch notice of people. A lot the people here were sort of regulars and also people whom Ethan had catalogued in his notes. Ethan paused in his coin weaving to take a drink, and see what or whom he could meet. Someone different, someone new.

Cassandra waved to her colleagues, all clad in teal, as they left her to finish her drink alone staring out of the large windows as the stars streaked past at warp speed. She had been here only a short time and had started to make a few friends but it was always difficult with such a close knit group and this crew seemed to work seamlessly. On top of this she had also witnessed some incredible things, not least of which the birth that had just happened in sickbay which she had been sworn to secrecy on. It was something the Captain did not want talked about around the ship, even if the entire ship knew that Lieutenant Lau had gone through a greatly accelerated pregnancy.

She found herself lost in her own musings but she could sense that eyes were on her. While she took a sip of her drink she allowed her eyes to scan the room but whoever it was she could not see in the mass of people.

Ethan definitely noted the woman , her hair blond which reminded Ethan of the color of corn silk, it glistening beneath the lights which bathed the room. He was caught by the shade of her eyes, a rather piercing blue. Ethan grabbed his drink, put away his coin into his pocket and made his way to where she was seated.

Ethan stopped in front of her table, a smile of greeting upon his lips. "Hello, mind if I join you at your table? My name is Ethan Smith, Ltjg. I work here on the ship." he wasn't dressed in his uniform, instead had chosen to wear a dark blue button up dress shirt, and slacks, and slip on shoes.

"Of course... I'm still a little new here so always happy to make a new friend!" she returned with her usual bubbly confidence. She also could help but notice how well he filled him shirt. His muscular frame tugging at the seams of the shirt making it almost skin tight on him in places.

'Is it warm in here all of a sudden!' she had to ask herself as her temperature seemed to start climbing.

"Lieutenant JG Cassandra Higgins, Ships Nurse... Although I do specialist in psychology and psychiatric medical practice."

She put her hand out thinking she would shake his hand but instead he took her hand and kissed the back of it sending her all of the flutter.

Ethan smiled at Cassandra, noting the way her cheeks colored to an attractive pink hue. He ran his thumb over the back of her fingers, then slowly released her hand, to take a seat across from her. "My pleasure." Ethan then took a sip from his glass, looking at her over the edge. "You are newly arrived, and just getting to know the crew." stating it as facts and not a question, as he lowered his glass. "I wouldn't be surprised for others to come meet you." a flirtatious smile dancing upon his lips.

"I'm just a Nurse... I wanted a deep space assignment and there was no Counselor positions open at the time so I fell back on my Nursing and came out here anyway!"

He seemed such a nice and genuine person... which is what started the alarm bells ringing in her head. She would need to be careful with this one. Already she could tell he knew he was attractive and played on that when he had selected his prey.

Now Ethan was a man of many talents, and in some aspect a social chameleon. He knew how to attune himself to different situations which most times helped him in the work he did. The man had a heart, hidden away in his chest. He was chuckling inwardly at the reaction he was eliciting in Cassandra watching the dance of thought in her gaze. She intrigued him. "Deep space assignment? Well welcome to the Wild West of the universe. You never know what you will find out here. Also I wouldn't consider you, just a nurse. Don't do that, you are more than that, Cassandra"

"Yes I know... I'm also a Counsellor, trained therapist, student of psychology and I even did my thesis on body language and the necessity of it in all forms on interactions with humanoid life!"

The cheerful nature of her tone not changing but she had fixed the tall and devilishly handsome man before her with a knowing gaze.

"And I too am a connoisseur of watching body language. It has kept me alive on quite a few occasions." there is an answering sparkle of mirth in his eyes. "I do know how to make myself a blank page. Right now though I don't wish to do so." his eyes running along her body, looking at her hands and also noting the trim form she had. She was lithe, seemed to have a natural grace, noted the beauty mark above the left corner of her kissable mouth. Ethan wondered if Cassy realized how beautiful she was.

"Oh you smooth talker and I must say you get a ten for effort but your games won't work on me pal!"
Her demeanour changing in an instant, she had this cad, this player pegged and he had only let himself down at the last hurdle. "I'm not some piece of meat waiting to be claimed.... Men!"

Ethan leaned back in his chair, a bright grin becoming evident, something worthy of Riker, "You are certainly no one's fool, my lady." then he chuckled. "This is good. And well you should be able to see the games that others play."

Ethan leaned forward an elbow upon the tabletop supporting his chin upon his hand. "You intrigue me, Cassandra, woman of prophecy, someone of high intellect. I am glad Apollo hasn't cursed you that no one believes your prophesies."

"Does this approach work for you often... or ever?"
She asked with a decided sarcastic timber to her tone.

"It depends on the woman, and it makes for a good icebreaker. but I do not lie when I say you intrigue me. I do not lie when I say you are beautiful. And that part about your name, its a bit of history about your name, Prophetess, a helper of men. Which fits due to you being a nurse and also a psychologist." Ethan moving back once more, his demeanor of calmness, it even showing in his body language and eyes. He seemed rather comfortable with himself.

Incredulously Cassandra moaned an exasperated noise as she rose from the chair and started for the door, leaving her glass on the bar as she went. Today had been a day and the last thing she needed was a player trying to pick her up. Instead she wanted to go back to her quarters, run a long hot bath and soak for several hours and try to blot the horrific memories of Lieutenant Lau from her mind. The screams, the pain, the anguish to then fall into a coma because of the trauma her system had suffered. She had no idea if he was following but she was on the move.

Ethan did follow, he was rather concerned about the woman he had just met, "Are you okay? I can tell something is bothering you, besides me." Ethan stated quietly.

"Not really.... Not after what I saw yesterday but I can't talk about it... We've all been ordered not to talk about it, not until they understand what happened a little better!"

Keeping her expression neutral and her eyes locked on a point directly before her. She felt sad that Xu had gone through what she had and was now paying the price for something still to make itself known. On top of that there was a child now facing the prospect of growing up without a mother by her side. It was all to much for her to process.

"I see, um... a question can you answer a question I have. Its more of a psychological detail maybe. I had dreamt of a beautiful woman, hair dark and her eyes reminded me of a betazed woman. However I got the feeling that she is a goddess. I couldn't hear her words but I could read her lips. She was pointing towards an obelisk that was out there in space, she wanted for the Andromeda to go there. " Ethan caught up to walk alongside Cassandra. "Am I going crazy for seeing that?"

The turbolift she had been making a beeline for opened as she approached and she stepped on board, talking to him as she turned around, blocking his entry to the turbolift.

"You're not going crazy Lieutenant... We've all seen it... I can't say more than that!" and the doors closed leaving him staring at the two grey panels.

Ethan let out slow whistle, then turned to head back to the Medusa's Head, rubbing the back of his neck. Cassandra certainly has fire running through her veins, he then grinned. She definitely intrigued Ethan, a lot!


END

LTjg Ethan Smith
Assistant Chief of Intelligence
USS Andromeda

Lieutenant JG Cassandra Higgins
Ships Counsellor, USS Andromeda