Pillow Talk
Posted on 07 Nov 2021 @ 9:49pm by Lieutenant Cassandra Higgins-Stevens
Mission:
Picking up the pieces
Location: Counselor's Office
Timeline: After Force Dreamland
797 words - 1.6 OF Standard Post Measure
ON
Cassie could feel life returning to her, the bed however was not comfortable in the east with the mattress feeling as hard as deck plating and the pillow was as soft as sleeping with her head on someone's elbow. She rolled over, trying to make herself more comfortable but her arm seemed to land on something unexpected. Her fingers started to explore and it took her sleep addled mind a few seconds to realise she was caressing someone's clothed chest.
Her eyes snapped open instantly to see the peaceful, and she had to say unexpectedly attractive slumbering form of Lieutenant Ethan Smith acting as her pillow.
She chided herself for having the thoughts and had started to try and figure out how to extract herself from him without waking him up. Sadly her arm was under him so unless she chose to chew her arm off at the shoulder, she was going to wake him up.
Ethan slowly woke up, groaning a little bit, his eyes were half opened, and he caught sight of Cassie there. Then the uncomfortable feeling of something under his ribs. "Er, hello there." moving to find out that he was on her arm. "Son of a-" His eyes snapping open even more. He rose up on his elbow, to release her arm, then a soft smile crossed his lips, "What a great sight to see after waking up." his eyes caressing over her body then back to her eyes. "Morning beautiful."
In the back of his mind though Ethan was trying to work out what had happened. As he was trying to piece together what had happened, his smile went to a charming one, a sort of dreamy state of mind as well, residue of what had happened.
"Higgins to C'Tora!" the blond was already standing, if somewhat wobbly on her feet. She had instantly started to run through what had happened and it could have only been a sedative. Had it just been her and the man she was moving away from or had it been ship wide. "Higgins to sickbay, can anyone read me? Engineering... Bridge... Anyone?"
Ethan looked at Cassy. "I think we need to check on what's happening. I am not liking what has just happened, well, except for waking up seeing you next to me. How long have we been asleep?" Ethan stood up, then had to sit down quickly.
"Oh can it Lieutenant!" she snapped, her Command training taking hold as she wheeled around on him. "I have no time for your games, not right now. We need to get out there and help the crew... If this has everyone then we may be needed!"
In truth, she felt a little out of her depth but she imagined that would be true for the entire crew at this point. Instead, she grabbed the emergency medical kit she kept under her desk, slung it over her shoulder, and started for the door.
Ethan just laughed quietly at her snapping at him, then proceeded to get up from the couch and headed towards Cassie for them to exit. "Okay the plan, check on the welfare of the crew. I will follow your lead, Lieutenant."
She didn't know how to take his last comment, even if she was now a senior officer... or was she. That had never really been cleared up. Was a Counsellor classed a senior officer if they were the only ones on board or was that down to a Captain's discretion?
Instead she chose to just start walking and hoped he would fall in step with her. She was worried and she didn't think she could do this alone if the worst did come to be a truth.
"Come on then!"
"Right" Ethan answered keeping up the pace with Cassie, as they headed down the corridor towards the turbo-lift. He noticed that there were other crew members just seeming to be waking up.
Several were staggering out of the areas they had been in when they were knocked out. This caused Ethan's eyebrows to raise. "It is certainly looking like whatever happened it hit the whole ship."
She was pleased to see that some of the crew were starting to get back on their feet which meant it had been ship-wide. The bigger question, who had done and why!
"Here, the turbolift's look to be still operating!" She said as she stepped up to the doors and they opened obediently with an empty car waiting for them.
"Oh good." and stepped inside with Cassie. "Here is hoping we don't have a mess facing us when we get out!" as the doors to the turbo-closed behind them.
Lieutenant JG Ethan Smith
Assistant Chief of Intelligence.
Lieutenant JG Cassandra Higgins
Ships Counsellor - USS Andromeda
