Making Good Choices
Posted on Sun Jul 19th, 2026 @ 3:48pm by Ensign Emily Bowman & Ensign Zoey Armstrong
1,445 words; about a 7 minute read
Mission:
Episode 2: Mine of Taurus
Location: USS Scharnhorst, Lounge
Zoey was very concerned, and she took another step from her drink. In a few hours, morning their time, the Scharnhorst would arrive in the Taurean System. "I don't know if this is a good idea, Starfleet has quarantined that area, now here we are just racing into this almost blindly." Zoey took a bigger sip from her drink. She looked over to Emily her dear friend. She also wanted to ask what was going on between her and Sebastian, because she wasn't blind and she could see that they were spending a little bit of time together. For the moment though she just held her drink in her hand as she waited for Emily to respond.
Emily's eyebrows bobbed as she sighed and leaned against her friend in the next chair. "Not gonna lie, Doctor Kennings is pretty freaked out," she said. "Rumor is she's got some history with this planet. She's been singing a song from 'The King and I' for the last few hours every time she thinks no one's listening. Whoever that other captain is that beamed over, put her on edge big time." She sighed and gave a shrug, sipping her own drink. "If I were you, though, I wouldn't worry about the big stuff. Leave that to the senior staff. The joy of being us is we get to do our jobs, and not have to think about the big picture. I doubt the captain is flying in completely blind, and I doubt he's going to put us at risk if he can avoid it. You have to look on the bright side, Zoey."
"You're starting to sound like my therapist, but you're right." Zoey said, has she took a big drink from hers glass practically slamming it down in one gulp. "On a lighter topic, can I ask you a question? Or maybe not lighter depending how you look at it." Zoey asked, wondering if Emily knew that she was going to bring up Sebastian.
Emily shrugged. "Sure, fire away."
"What's the story between you and Sebastian? I thought we both agreed that we were going to stay away from him. I'm worried you might be a little bit of a playboy," Zoey said knowing that she was reflecting her own personality types onto Sebastian, but the two of them are more like than she wanted to admit. She also didn't understand that Sebastian was just looking for love, but he was being a little too flamboyant about it. But at this moment she didn't want her friend, Emily to get hurt.
Emily snorted a laugh. "And I thought I was the direct one." She took a sip and shrugged. "Well I told you, I felt bad being so harsh, so I apologized. That was an effing failure. But we ran into each other at the station at that nightclub, the Starduster, and one thing led to another and..." She shrugged and gave a coy smile, sipping her drink and staring straight ahead out the observation window.
Zoey couldn't believe what she'd heard, and she immediately thought the worst thing possible: the two of them had, slept together. "Oh, you didn't," Zoey said playfully with a big grin on her face and gently slapped Emily on the bicep area to indicate 'you naughty girl'.
Emily grinned at her and snuggled up closer, whispering in Zoey's ear. "Oh, I did. That boy 'cuddled my brains out'," she said, then laughed at the look of horror on her friend's face. "Look, Zo, is he a complete dingus? Yes, but he's an adorable dingus. He's also a well built dingus. And when he isn't trying to be charming, he actually can be." She gave a small shrug. "Also my date that night turned out to not be as 'happily single' as he led me to believe, and Sebastian was nice enough to walk me to my quarters, and I was about two-and-a-half sheets to the wind, and having seen everyone's medical records I knew what he was working with so...." she shrugged and gave Zoey a cat-ate-the-canary smile.
"How is it every body on this ship is finding someone to hook up with? I keep getting players, or good friends like you to spend my time with? Don't you dare tell him my standards are too high cuz I've been flirting with almost everybody on this ship." Zoey pointed out Emily, wondering what type of insight her friend/counselor, would have for her?
"Okay well problem number one is you're flirting with everyone and complaining you only get players," Emily said. "Mildly hypocritical. I know you aren't just out to use people, neither am I, but I'm not going to complain that I get people as open as I am. If you want some deep connection, that's great, just be patient, it'll happen. And in the mean time, we can have all the fun we want." She nudged her and gave her a wink.
"Second problem is flirting. Everyone flirts differently, so a lot of it gets lost in translation. Take Sebastian. He tried flirting with us and bombed. The one time he stopped trying to flirt and was just being chill..." she shrugged. "Just be you and just get to know the person. Flirting comes after."
"Get a few drinks and you become a scholar." Zoey said teasingly, it was her way of saying without actually saying it that she really appreciated the advice. She just smiled at Emily, being grateful for their friendship.
Emily smiled at her and leaned over, giving her friend a kiss on the cheek. "Thanks, Zo," she said. "Good to know I'm also appreciated for my two huge cranial hemispheres," she said, snickering. "But really, just relax, and see what comes your way. I'm not saying Sebastian and I are a 'thing' now or anything. Hell, all that did was probably just get me out of his system and he's over it. But either way, I'm not going to question or complain about it. My favorite quote is 'life is a banquet, and most poor suckers are starving to death!' I enjoy what I want to enjoy, and things will work themselves out, whether that's with a guy, a girl or a mission." She took another sip. "Damn, you're right, I am wiser when I've had a couple." She snickered again.
"Remind me to take you out more, having a scholar as a friend is a good thing." Zoey said, going to notice a handsome Trill, walking into the room. "What do you know about him?"
"Diplomatic corp I think?" Emily said, looking at him. "Haven't seen him about. He was in sickbay for about 30 seconds for his physical, but Doctor Kennings handled it so I haven't met him. Seems to keep himself mostly to himself.
"Great mysterious type, I don't know why I'm attracted to those types. They usually tend to break your heart, at least that's been my experience with them." Zoey said, debating if he should go talk to him.
"Well, if you want to risk your heart broken, go chat him up. If you want to blow him off and have some fun, come stop by my quarters. And if he turns out to be chill and agreeable," she grinned at Zoey and bobbed her eyebrows. "Let me know."
"You don't play fair, and besides I think he's going to want your attention." Zoey said, as she looked towards the entrance. Maybe he wasn't trying to make an appearance, or his presence seem special, but he definitely made an entrance. At the entryway was Sebastian. His eyes look like they were on a mission.
"While I am always willing to share my toys, you saw him first, you can have first crack at him," Emily said. She followed Zoey's gaze over to the lounge entrance and saw Sebastian honing in in them. She smiled and waved at him.
"I'll see you later," Zoey said with a big warm smile on her face.
Emily raised an eyebrow. "Promise?" she said, smirking and giving Zoey another kiss on the cheek. "Drop by my place any time, your company is always welcome. Hopefully I'll have another good story for you, and vice versa."
"I' will, now go get him." Zoey said, with a big grin on her face, as she continued to look at Mil, being drawn to him. She started to head towards the trill man.
Emily watched her go and winked, then sat back and smiled at the newcomer. Next patient she thought to herself, taking another sip of her drink.
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