A Social Encounter (Part One of Two)

*Try not to look to nervous, John.* Ensign Mason thought as he stepped out of the turbolift and into the corridor *This is going to be your first social encounter on the Leviathan. I hope I find someone to talk to... maybe I'll meet someone interesting.*

Mason paused in front of the door, looked at himself, put on a confident smile and walked into the Mess. His first sight when he entered was that of many Klingons. They were loud and ill-mannered, but you could tell they had a camaraderie which could rival the best of friends in Starfleet.

Jonathan walked over to the refreshment table where a wide variety of food and drink had been set. He paused at the table and decided to start the night easy picking up a goblet of synthehol wine, keeping his distance from the strong, blood-wine. In his haste to stay away from the blood-wine, he accidentally bumped into Lieutenant. Rashad. They both turned around and faced each other. The 170 cm tall, 60 kg woman was quite angry to say the least.

"We meet again, Ensign." The glare in her eyes turned from annoyance at being bumped into pleasant realisation, "Under similar instances I might add."

"Yes. I hope you decided on a suit that you liked." John mentioned as she thought back to when they met the first time.

FLASHBACK

Ensign Mason strode into the Replimat with the intent of replicating a new painting for his quarters. The previous one was a thoughtless picture of a bowl of fruit. *Who cares about a bowl of fruit. Is it supposed to be artistically stimulating or something ?* He thought. He walked up to an empty station, one of the medium-sized replicators.

"Computer. I'd like a listing of all the painting styles you have on file."

<Working. File downloaded.>

John skimmed the list, looking for something to catch his eye. He found himself in the Starfleet ships area. Looking at several Excelsior-class starship views, he noticed a frustrated Vulcan-Bajoran woman at the station next to him. She was looking through several suits, some which had pretty tight-fitting jackets. *They'd look good on her and those...*

His thought was suddenly interrupted by the young female.

"Do you mind ? I'd like some privacy here. I don't look at your paintings Ensign." She looked at him with anger and passion revealed in the eyes of an otherwise apparently unemotional face.

John reeled from the verbal attack, he'd never seen a Vulcan react so fiercely. *Must be the mixture of her Vulcan and Bajoran genes* He thought.

"Uh, sorry..." He glanced at her collar where her pips were, "...Lieutenant."

"Rashad T`Kul." Nodded the woman with her Vulcanoid eyebrows slightly risen. "And you are, Ensign ?" She looked at him in his gold uniform, not letting on that she had already read his personnel file, and now almost smiled.

Something suddenly fitted into place, he'd heard that one of the officers was half Romulan, half Bajorian and now knew that this Lieutenant was her, which explained the outburst. As John grew less nervous and more confident, he began to speak with a steady voice and an unwavering gaze.

"I'm Ensign Mason." He held out his hand. His newly-found confidence was diminished slightly when she did not shake hands right away.

Rashad stared at the extended hand for a moment. Even after Starfleet Academy and her previous two years as a JAG Officer on DS14 that no one else except for Commander Harris and herself were aware of, she was somehow still more used to the Romulan and Bajoran ways of greetings and introductions instilled in her by her parents so many years before.

Finally the Intelligence Officer took the young Human-Betazoid's extended hand.

"I recently graduated from the Academy and was given the position of Assistant Operations Officer. I hear you're the Intelligence Officer...?"

"Yes indeed, Mr. Mason," Rashad nodded in her usual manner, common to both Romulans and Vulcans. "So, how are you enjoying serving on the Leviathan so far ? " She realised he was still new and probably in need of slight adjustment to the experimental ship that the USS Leviathan was.

All of a sudden, a voice spoke from Mason's Comm Badge, interrupting his conversation with the intriguing Lieutenant Rashad.

[Ensign Mason, please report to the Bridge.]

" It seems you must leave. Perhaps we will meet again," Rashad finished, and curtly turned back to her station. For some reason, Rashad showed more courtesy to the man than she would most officers.

Mess Hall (Now)

"Yes, indeed. It fits fine." Rashad answered promptly." As I recall,Ensign, you never responded to my question."

"What question ?" John asked puzzled.

"I asked if you enjoyed serving on the Leviathan so far." Although it wasn't shown on her face, she was expectant of the response.

*Ah, yes* He thought carefully what to say. So far he hadn't had much of a taste of the Leviathan, but was sure he'd enjoy it once he had a chance to.

"My limited experience on ship has been pleasant. There are some..." he struggled over a choice of words "..interesting individuals I've met." He pronounced interesting very slowly.

"In time, you'll learn to like this ship. There is none other like her in Starfleet." Her gaze swept across the room and towards something behind him.

"Have a good night Ensign." Rashad said excusing herself.