Good explorers get coffee.

Posted on Fri Mar 3rd, 2023 @ 11:44pm by Captain Ethan De Havilland & Cecilia Hjördis

1,957 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: Ethics, Morals & The Prime Directive.

A rare break in reports and updates presented Ethan with a chance to get out of his Ready Room. He took it. Even as the notion that he was Captain of this enormous ship was sinking in still he thought perhaps if he got to tour her she'd feel more homely. Commands however for Captain's seldom felt like home, with a ship to take care of and a crew to protect it often felt more like a full time duty. Still however, he'd only seen the bay and the brief transit to the Bridge and his Ready Room, there was more he had to see. Informing the Bridge crew that he was going to inspect the ship he entered the turbolift and took it to the Promenade. It was not uncommon for starships to have a civilian component to them but the Dreadnought would be home to thousands of civilians from all walks of life. For the most part he would go unknown or unnoticed, just another uniform in the sea of others on board the ship and there was a comfort for him in that.

When the doors opened to the port side promenade area he had to side step two young children who clearly didn't notice him lest they run into him. When he did manage to step out he could see the many shop fronts and stores, vendors and the like all lining wall and cove alike.

Cecelia's shop had been doing brisk business, since the moment she came aboard the ship. The small pieces sold brilliantly and she was delighted by the change in her circumstances. Walking out of her storefront, she was looking at her setup with a sketchpad and a pen behind her ear.

The scene before him was busy with people walking around with purchases and family in tow. He had to impart some impressive footwork to avoid walking into people. Ethan was taking in the different kinds of shops that was on board his ship, it was amazing to see all kinds of interests and produce being made available but for him it was all about command and duty.

She backed up, knocked into a muscular body and yelped when suddenly her balance vanished. Skidding across the decking was not how she'd imagined that thought ending.

Ethan tried to catch the unbalanced woman but he himself caught off guard by the act missed with his outstretched hand. When it was all over though he asked. "Are you alright ma'am?" He spoke turning towards her using his presence to divert those behind him to go around.

Her sketchbook and stylus skittered across the floor and she blinked owlishly up at him. The fall had knocked the wind from her and she breathes for a minute, not seeing him fully. When he did come into view, she blushed. "I'm so sorry!" She blurted out

"It's alright, accidents happen." He reassured, and they did, accidents did happen. "Are you alright? Do I need to contact Sickbay?"

"Often I've found". Her blush increased until it crept over her cheeks and down her neck. "I think I'm fine. Bruised but not broken. ". Her smattering of freckles stood out against her blush, darkening a little.

"A hazard of the profession I take it?" Ethan asked keeping an eye on her, making sure she was alright and that she wasn't walked into or trodden on by others walking around them.

Laughter erupted from her as she tucked one shapely leg under the other one as she looked up at him. Blue eyes danced as she laughed at herself "I work with glass. It's definitely a job hazard. "

Ethan smiled his hand still out to help her up. "We should get you up off the floor before the stampede decides otherwise." He was standing in the way from one direction, behind him, but there were others and it seemed few even noticed or cared about what happened.

She placed her hand in his and blushed again at the warmth of his hand against hers. "Thank you" came the quiet words as she gazed at him from a better angle.

With a firm hold on her hand Ethan pulled her to her feet. Another officer was kind enough to gather the dropped items and hand them to him. "Your effects ma'am."

"Ah yes, I would be sorry to lose those. Thank you both.". She found being ma'am'd a bit disconcerting, but figured she'd get used to it eventually.

"New on board?" Ethan asked, many like he no doubt found the size and scope of the ship daunting. He thanked the other officer who called him 'Captain' before resuming his walk.

"I've been on since she docked. They allowed the promenade vendors to board early. ". She parted her hair with her fingers and placed her hair in a single tail since the hair was falling loose from the two she'd had it in. "You seem a little unsettled if I may make an observation. "

Never a thing any Captain wants to be told but in truth it was something he was battling himself. "I boarded today, I'm still getting used to things, especially the size of the vessel." A brief paused before he continued. "Captain Ethan De Havilland, I command the Dreadnought."

The admission surprised her, and her eyes did get a little bigger as she regarded him. The captain of the ship. Wow. "Would you like to come in? I have fresh coffee.".

"Of course." It would be a welcome distraction from the otherwise ever present daunting ship that he had to inspect. Plus it never hurt for the Captain to be seen by the civilian population as it shows he cares.

"How do you like your coffee Ethan?" She asked quietly as she led him into her shop. She was going to call him by his name, because she imagined he'd get tired of being captained all the time. Art was tastefully arrayed on shelves and display cases, which were all a uniform black and silver. There was everything from tiny stained glass mosaic earrings to large panels of colored glass soldered in delicate images. "I'm Cecelia, by the way "

"A pleasure. Caramal Latte would be wonderful if its not too much trouble." He replied, hoping the caffeine would give him enough drive to see through his tour after meeting Cecelia.

A few minutes later she came out with a pair of mugs. They were clearly hand thrown and she loved them. The glaze was dipped black and an electric blue. They were charming and beautiful and filled with coffee that smelled much better than replicator.

Ethan sipped at the Coffee. It was soothing and distracting which was welcome by Ethan. He could hear the rustling and bustling of the constant stream of people walking past outside mid chatter and conversation. "You mentioned working with glass, may I ask what you do with it?"

"Everything you see around you I made. Every stained glass panel, every bead and every sculpture. I even made the cups, though that was in art school.".

"What is that what you plan to sell on board? How would you refine you materials, mould the glass" Ethan didn't know much about glass making but everyone knew heat and liquid glass was involved.

"It varies. ". Reaching out she took a bead of glass that was in a swirling pattern of glittering gold and blue in a clear shell. "That I do with a torch. If I'm blowing the glass figures, I use a larger oven. The stained glass and dichroics require a table and sometimes a fusion kiln.

Ethan hoped all that had all the required clearances and checks from Engineering but figured all was in order considering it was in place before his arrival. "So just glass, or other ventures occupy your time also? If that's not too bold of me to ask."

"I've been known to paint from time to time, and I like to climb. I don't do anything that could jeopardize my hands."

"Understandable given your chosen profession." Her hands were tools and a trade was only as good as the tools used. "What made you choose here, on a starship and not a shopfront planetside?" It was as he saw a bizzare choice considering there were no windows, glass on a large industrial scale was exceedingly limited.

"Starfleet officers appreciate beautiful things." Came the gentle reply, her tone was as soft as her rebuke. "Besides, this ship will take me to places I could never see on a planet. "

Ethan couldn't fault that logic, there were perks to going places and being exposed to other cultures and for the craft inclined, inspirations. He sipped his Latte as he pondered. "Staff, or just yourself?"

"Just me." She chuckled at that and p leaned forward onto the table. "Business is good, but not so good that I can afford to hire an assistant."

"Never hurts to start small, let growth be the decider of what the future holds." If only command was as simple yet seldom was. Finishing what little was left of his Latte he placed the cup down on the counter. "Being a civilian on board how difficult was it for you to settle, become familiar with the various locations on board?" Ethan asked because even though he was Fleet, there were many on board who were not and like it or not, the Dreadnought was in essence a mobile station and he had to tend to the civilian needs also.

"I'm not the most proficient with directions So it took me ages to figure out how to get around. ". Once again she felt her face flame with embarrassment. It was true however. "I've yet to wonder into somewhere that I wasn't allowed to be, but I have gotten lost multiple times.'

Which made Ethan wonder what measures could be put in place to make navigation and general convenience for the civilian populace possible. It would have to be something he'd need to talk to engineering about because such things would need installing and programming, safe guarding and implementation. "I'll see what I can do to make things easier for the civilian population, getting lost is one thing but getting lost do to lack of available measures is another."

"I can't be the only one who would appreciate that Ethan however it gets implemented. I can imagine something like that would be especially useful if they had small children"

"I'll look into it, though probably wont be until we launch. There is so much to do and little time in which to do it in." Knowing full well that he'd have more reports and updates waiting for him when he got back to his ready room.

"What's the worst that can happen in the meantime? I get lost again? I'm truly not so very worried about that, I can always find something to do even if I get lost"

Ethan was about to reply when his badge chirped. It was the Bridge requesting his presence. It was a call he'd been expecting but when was the unknown so it seemed now was the time for fate to intervene. "Sorry, duty calls." He slipped out of the chair. "It was a pleasure though."

"It was. Come back anytime you want more coffee". Her smile was warm, and as he rose an alarm started to ring in the back. "Oops!"

It appeared she too had tasks that needed her attention. "Till next time then." With that Ethan departed pleased with his first interaction of the civilian element and the Latte was better then he expected, still held the lingering sweet taste as he walked to the nearest turbolift.

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