Looking for a place to relax (open)

Rhee turned and looked at the newcomer.

"It is. Amazing really." He said, "I can't wait until we're actually zipping through the galaxy. I mean, I've never been on a ship this size." Rhee couldn't quite hide the awe he felt at being on a Galaxy-class ship like the Nike.

"Oh, sorry," he said, realizing he had forgotten a standard greeting, "Ensign Mitra Rhee. Security." He extended his hand to the other man, as was the custom he had become more familiar with during his years in the Academy. Something about the other man gave him the impression that he was a more seasoned officer. Rhee hoped he'd made a good impression if that was the case.

Tag Joe/Any

"Sir," he said, still not sure he was comfortable calling his superiors by more casual names. "You may call me Mitra, sir. If you'd like." He took a sip of the Kava juice trying to calm his racing nerves. He really shouldn't be nervous, but his first day on a new ship, he couldn't help but be a bit nervous.

"So, is this your first posting?"

"Oh, no sir," He quickly stated, realizing he must be coming across as a newly minted ensign still wet behind the ears. Well, he wasn't exactly a new ensign. He had served a few months on the Dakota, but it was nothing compared to the Nike. "I spent a few months on the Dakota, sir," Rhee gave a bit of a sheepish smile before shrugging his shoulders and adding, "but I'm still pretty new at all this. I was told to always respect my superiors, but I hadn't expected to interact with them in off-duty hours."

Why are you being such an idiot? Rhee chided himself, wishing he could actually kick himself. He wasn't normally like this at all. Why had the arrival of the counselor made him feel like he was a lowly cadet back at the Academy surrounded by people from cultures he didn't understand. Rhee tried to shake off the nerves so he could show his true self.

Tag Joe/Any

Feeling nervous, Alexis stood a few feet away from the doors to Ten Forward. She was alittle early, but she couldn't help herself. She had checked her messages multiple times in just the last 15 minutes and found that Nick hadn't canceled or been running late.

She had donned a pretty green and blue dress that she had had purchased from a fantastic seamstress. Now, though, she found herself fiddling with the material, making sure everything fit her as it should.

Stop being so silly, she told herself, it's only dinner with a fellow officer. True, she didn't ten to dress up when she was having dinner with just any officer. No, she wanted to make a good impression. She was always so sick of wearing the standard issue uniform, it was comfortable, yest, but completely unflattering.

Moving forward the doors to the lounge swished open. Taking a last deep breath to steady her nerves, Alexis entered Ten Forward. It was somewhat more crowded now. It seemed as though the room had been repaired and all was in working order. More people were milling about. Alexis didn't actually expect to find Nick here early, but she couldn't help but scan the crowd just in case. Her breath caught in her throat when she spotted him. He was here.

She allowed herself a few minutes to simply look over his form from behind. The way he sat showed his ease and confidence. He belonged here, working on a ship like the Nike. She liked that confidence about him. Smoothing down her hair, which she had left loose, Alexis headed over to where he was seated.

"Hello," she said from behind as she approached.

Tag Nick

Any nerves or fears she might have had seemed to vanish with his smile. Her own smile met his in return.

"Hello Nick, " her eyes lit up as she looked in his direction. "Thank you," she said in response to his compliment. She was glad he seemed pleased. She had feared that she would seem overdress. After all, they were really just two friends meeting for dinner. Yet, when Alexis had fingered the dress in her wardrobe, she just couldn't pass it up.

"I'd love to," she added in response to his indication of the table. "How did your surgery go?" She asked as she walked to the table. She remembered he had mentioned the surgery when they spoke at lunch.

As she walked, she couldn't help but notice just how good looking he was. Those thoughts just served to confirm all the little daydreams she had found herself having all day. She tried to tell herself not to over-react. After all, she knew next to nothing about him. Perhaps he just wanted some friendly company and that was all. She didn't want to get her hopes up too soon, but she was finding it difficult not to as she watched him.

Tag Nick

Alexis felt a tinge of longing as she listened to Nick tell of the birth of a new baby. What would that actually be like? Alexis could imagine it, but she had not idea what such an experience would really be like.

"A new baby." She said with a bit of a wistful smile, "Now that's one time I might not mind being in medicine. All the cuts, and hurts, and all that. That's not for me. But to see a new life being born. What a joy what must be." Alexis paused, then thought of Nick's offer.

"I'd love a glass of red wine, synthehol and all," she smiled brightly as she said it. She'd had so little of the real alcohol, that she had become accustomed to the fact that a she could indulge in wine with no consequences. God help her if she someday got her hands on a real bottle. Who knows what might happen then!

As she waited for him to get her the drink, she couldn't help but muse. Such the gentleman. Not everyone onboard a Starship would offer to get a drink for her. The days of chivalry were long dead. Alexis thought back to the last Earth novel she had read, set sometime in the late Middle Ages. Now that was a time of chivalry. Yet, as she looked over to Nick, she realized she had found her own little piece of modern day chivalry right here. She hoped she could hold onto it.

Tag Nick

Rhee found he liked the other man. He appreciated his advice and actually found himself relaxing in the presence of a higher ranking officer. He managed to sneak a smile in before he watched the counselor leave.

"Thanks for the advice.....Joe," he said quietly to himself. It still felt strange to use such a familiar name with someone he had just met, but after having talked with Joe about it, it didn't feel as strange as it had just a few short minutes ago. Rhee spent some time simply standing and watching the other inhabitants of Ten Forward for awhile. Would some of them become new friends? He wondered. Perhaps. He actually found himself looking forward to the prospect. His brief encounter with Joe had changed his demeanor for the better. Rhee would make sure to thank him for that in the near future.

Finally, after people-watching for awhile, Rhee made his way over towards the replicators and deposited his used glass. Then, with a final look around, Rhee headed off for his first duty rotation onboard the Nike.

End Rhee