"Sometimes Things Move Too Fast"
[Previous post: "Eureka", written by the imaginative Sabrina Jones]
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Setting: USS ANUBIS, CMO's Office
Lea and Susan sat on opposite sides of the desk each of them reading
the PADD that their CO had provided them with.
"So what do you think?" the Cns asked not having noticed that her
friend's attention had moved onto something else.
"I think that I need to put myself through a thorough medical
examination," Lea replied dryly. "So much happened over the last month and I
can't remember any of it."
"Well," Susan grinned as she lowered her PADD onto the desk. "Between
you running around like a mad woman to help Enaii. You running like a
mad woman to keep up with her after she woke up. You running like a
mad woman to get all of the crew's physical exams done in time. You
running like a mad woman to juggle your work and love life, I am surprised
that you are still in one piece."
Lea glared at her friend for a few seconds. "I may be in one piece,
but according to you I am quite *mad*."
"Nah," Susan said as she waved her friend's comment away. "You were
that before all of this started."
"Thanks," Lea grumbled. "I feel so much better. Now I'm going to need
a counselling session to deal with my plummeting self-esteem."
"Speaking of which," Susan said as she grinned like the proverbial
Cheshire Cat, "what did you think of Enaii? She did not say a single word
during the meeting and only stared at Sabrina. I couldn't tell if she
was looking *at* her or *through* her."
"First," Lea replied, "it's Enaii we are talking about. She *never*
says more than she absolutely needs to. Second, I was just shocked that
she was there at all. Each time I have tried to corner her, our ILO
just vanished as if she had not even been there."
"Good evening ladies," the CEO said as his large frame appeared in the
open doorway to Lea's office. "Discussing our next mission?"
"Actually we were talking about Enaii," Susan replied as she looked
over her shoulder to the new arrival.
"As far as I am concerned she is back to normal," David said with a
longing sigh.
"How so?" the CMO asked curious to see on what basis the CEO had used
to make his diagnosis.
"I have tried speaking to her several times," David replied with a half
smile. "Each time she ignored me and walked right by me as if I had
not even been there. Don't get me wrong I am happy that she is back, but
I am worried about Sabrina and Talia. I doubt that Enaii has spent
more than a few seconds with her family since her *return*."
"I think that Sabrina and Talia will just have to be patient. Just
like the rest of us," the Cns suggested. "Enaii went through a truly
unique ordeal and there is no way to know how it has affected her. Getting
someone to talk about their experience when they are not ready would do
more harm than good. When Enaii is ready she will go to someone she
trusts and open up at her own pace. Until that happens we have to show
understanding and compassion."
David sighed heavily. To see the ILO back had been great, but to see
her in the state that she had been in had proven to be quite difficult.
Since a change of subject had been in order, David moved onto the
reason which had brought him to Lea's office. "How about I treat you both
to a nice relaxing drink? We can discuss our new mission at the same
time."
"I don't know," Susan said nervously as she glanced at her friend. "I
wouldn't want to be a third wheel on this date."
"This is not a *date*," Lea said forcefully. "David is just openly
displaying how much of a gentleman he is. Also this is his way of working
on his charms and techniques."
"I am?" the CEO asked.
"Well, on that case then I accept the invitation," Susan said as she
bounced out of her chair and waited for Lea to join her. By the time
David had figured out what had happened both Lea and Susan had walked
passed him, arm in arm. ::Women!::
=-=
"Some of the customs of this world are strange," Susan said as she took
a sip from her drink.
"*Some*? Which one do you *not* find strange?" the CEO asked while
still looking at his PADD.
"Well the removing of one's shoes as you walk into a house is not
uncommon," Lea replied. "Many cultures have similar ways of showing respect
by not dragging dirt from the outside inside."
"I think David is referring to the various types of greetings which are
used in that culture," the Cns said. "Depending on the social status
of the person you are meeting there are different ways of greeting
them."
"I just hope that as the Princess' bodyguard we will be exempted from
doing any of them," David said having found the whole thing rather
useless.
"Unfortunately not everyone will be assigned to *protecting* the
Princess," Lea replied. "Some of us will be going into the general populous
to snoop around. If we want to be inconspicuous, we will have to learn
to blend in with the natives. That means learning their ways better
than they know them themselves."
"Looks like I'm going to have a lot of reading to do between now and
our arrival to IRRAJ," the CEO said as he ordered another round for him
and his guests.
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Lt. J.G. Lea Summers 2006 post #162
Stardate: 61012.1900
Setting: USS ANUBIS, Black Hole Lounge
Stardate: 61012.1920
Tiffany Rose {lady_tiffany_rose@mail.com}
Chief Medical Officer
USS ANUBIS
