Corrupting the young.

Posted on 21 Feb 2019 @ 9:20pm by Lieutenant JG Cleopatra McCaine PhD & Cadet Senior Grade Nassie Essu

3,371 words; about a 17 minute read

Mission: M-15 Prison Planet
Location: Lounge, Deck 5, USS Pheonix
Timeline: 2000

[ON]

Cleo entered the lounge intent on a drink before bed. Now they were underway to their new mission, she felt the need to do something life affirming. Afterall, this may be the last chance they got. Everyday was the possibly the last chance you'd ever get. looking around she realised she wasn't the only person who felt the need to unwind before their lives got far to interesting far too quickly. One of them was the new, and awkward young cadet Nassie Essu. MAybe this was a chance to help her relax, give her a chance to meet people outside of uniforms, evaluations and chains of command.

She walked over to where the cadet was sitting. "Hey, can I join you?"

Nassie was not expecting company. She smiled nervously, as she wondered to herself. What does the counsellor want? She tried not to be judgemental, but she was nervous. She hoped it was to chat, and not round two of a counselling session. "Please, it's good to see you again." Nassie said with a slight crack in her voice.

"You too. Can I get you a drink? I think after this mornings breifing we could all use a stiff one" Cleo gestured at the bar.

"I like my drinks with a lot sweeteners in it, stiff is not really my thing. Burns the throat. I do have a thing for Strawberry Banana Vodka Breeze or a lemon drop." Suggested Nassie, as she continued to sip on her lemon drop, she had ordered for herself earlier.

"I know just the thing." Cleo purred, and disappeared to the bar. She came back with two large martini classes, filled with a golden brown liquid to nearly the top, with a richer darker brown liquid floating on top, and slowly begging to mix with the drink below. "This is a Brazilian Gentleman. So called because it goes down very easily."

"What is a Brazillan?" Asked Nassie, who obviously was not getting the earth cultural reference. She looked at the end with great skeptism. She was not sure, if it was wise to drink this. Nassie looked at the drink and then at Cleo.

Cleo smiled, noting that the cadet had totally missed the double entendre. "Brazil was an old nation state on Earth. Famous for a massive carnival, a giant statue and a particularly thorough form of personal grooming." She raised her glass. "Bottoms up!"

Nassie was not sure about the drink, but Cleo had a friendly demeanor about her. So Nassie decided to give her a chance, and take a leap of faith. "Here goes nothing." She said, as she took a sip.

Cleo took far more than a syrup, and the sweet cocktail gave her an almost instant buzz of sugar and booze. "Mmm." she said. "Very refreshing. What do you think?"

"Looks better than it taste." Nassie, as her small sip, turned into a big sip. The flavours clashed on her taste buds. The drink was very delicious. Nassie smiled as she continued to sip on the drink.

"So, if you've never had a brazlilian gentlemen, what do you prefer?" Cleo asked, crossing her legs, and taking another sip of her own cocktail, but through the small straw that came with it.

"Typically Lemon Drops, but this will be fine." Nassie said, as she took another sip, the drink was starting to grow on her. The taste was new to her, and exhilarating to her taste buds. "Is this your preferred drink?"

"I don't really have one," Cleo replied. "I like what ever makes me feel good. Sometimes thats a syrupy cocktail. Sometimes that's other things."

Nassie was a little surprised by Cleo's carefree spirit, it almost seemed opposite of her day time job. She took another sip from her drink. "So tell me, is this typical night life on this ship?" Nassie asked, as she looked around. She was hoping there was more than what she was seeing.

Clea looked around the sparsely populated lounge. "For this stage in a mission, its not uncommon. People don't know each other. They're nervous of unraveling too soon. You;ll find as a voyage goes on, the lounges tend to get busier, once everyone relaxes and gets to know each other. And I guarentee, should be have a brush with near destruction, this place will get very busy."

"What are the men like on this ship?" Nassie asked, wanting to get the lay of the land. Who better to ask, than the ship's counselor. She eagerly waited her response.

Cleo reclined into her chair, pulling her feet up, "I haven't met them all yet, but they seem fairly normal. Right now, they're shy, learning their boundaries, scouting potential targets, scanning for dangers. When they get to know each other, we'll see the real them. If they're interesting, or boring, if they're brave, or curious, or arrogant. If they're shy, or if they're not..."

"That's not reassuring, where are the sexy and over the top confident men at?" Nassie asked with a big grin on her face. She was a little disappointed to hear how passive the men where. She hoped she miss understood Cleo's description of the men on the ship.

Cleo laughed, a very dirty sound. "Darling, they're all in stealth mode right now. A shakedown cruide throws up a lot of work. Give it some time, and once people start mingling, you'll see them. And failing that, there's holodecks and Space stations. When we get back to DS5, I'd give their geisha house a try."

"What's a Giesha house?" Nassie asked, feeling stupid for asking. But there was something in Cleo's tone, that told Nassie she that needed to know more.

"A geisha is a girl from a particular Earth culture whose job was to entertain men. She sung, she danced, she played music, she held sparkling conversation. She wasn't a whore, ever. but for some reason the term has come to mean intelligent witty accomplished women, who are somewhat submissive, and paid for." Clio looked at the wide eyed young cadet over the rim of her glass. "Of course at the Lotus Lounge the women And men are courtesans. And they're rather skilled"

"Sounds like fun, but only in moderation." She said, with a tone of caution in her voice. The idea, was fascinating to her. But she was pretty sure, if offered the opportunity. She would probably pass on it. She was not a big risk taker.

"All things are fun in moderation, but quite a lot is more fun in excess," Cleo said with a wicked tone to her voice. "Like drinking. You just have to experiment, and if the Lotus Lounge is your thing, you may prefer the box of delights. They have some very interesting holodeck programs. And a lot of Dabo Boys."

"Dabo boys?" Nassie asked with excitement in her voice. "Heard about them, but I have never met one. What are they like?" Nassie asked, with genuine curiosity in her voice. She hated her social upbringing, and all the fun things she missed out as a kid.

"They're people, they very. Some keep it very professional, some can be bribed - "tipped" - to be less so, especially if they like the look of you." She finished her cocktail. "Though you may need a knife on hand to peel those pants off them. I'm surprised they don't all pass out from constriction of the groin."

"Maybe down the road, we will get a chance to meet a dabo man." Said Nassie, who was beaming a little bit at the idea. But at the moment, they were on the Phoenix, and not heading towards any dabo men. "Besides gossiping about men, what do people do on this ship for fun? Surely you must have a game or something, you like to do?" Nassie, asked, trying to see what the crew does for fun on this ship?

Cleo stared at the bottom of her class for a moment, and then smiled lazily. "Just a sec." She got up and came back with a two long glasses. filled with a translucent brown drink. "There is a game. Its called 'never have I ever' Do you know it?"

"Seen others play it, but no one has ever asked me to play it." Nassie said, a little intrigued by the idea. She wondered what type of questions would be asked of her, and she wondered what she would learn about Cleo.

"I'll go easy on you on then. "Never have I ever been a starfleet cadet." Cleo gave her a grin, and drank a fingers worth from her glass.

"Wait. How is that possible?" Nassie asked, a little surprised by her revelation? How could she hold the rank of Lieutenant, if she never went through the Academy? Nassie was curious to learn more from Cleo. Apparently, there was more to her, than she first thought.

"I said I wasn't a cadet. I was a clinical psychologist before I was in Starfleet. I entered via a professional admissions program. Its not uncommon amongst the medical corps. But whilst I did a lot of courses at the academy, I wasn't officially a cadet." She gave Essie a little grin. "Your turn."

"So the idea of this game is to say, 'never have I ever', then pick a topic?" She asked Cleo with a little confusion in her voice. She took a short breath before going on to say. "Never have I ever, been a Starfleet officer." She said, realizing her answer was lame. But she was puzzled what type of topics to bring up.

"And if the statement is true in your case, you drink. I was not a cadet, so I drank. You are not an officer, so you drink." Cleao gestured for her to drink

Nassie took a sip from her drink, feeling the burn going down her throat. Wow she thought to herself, as she tried not to cough. Wow that was stronger, and not as tasty.

"And now its my turn. Never have I ever kissed a boy." Cleo this time, did not drink.

"You have never kissed a boy?" Nassie said with a grin on her face. She was a little surprised by that. She sat there thinking for a moment and then she went on to say. "Never have I, been on a date." She said, wondering if she was suppose to drink or was Cleo, she felt stupid, for having to thank about it. She really did not want to take another drink from that glass.

"You've got it the wrong way round. I have kissed a boy, so I don't drink, but if you haven't kissed a boy, you should drink." She raised an inquiring eyebrow.

"Oh boy!" She said nervously as she took another sip from her drink. The burning sensation was still, but she was not really fond of the taste. But a game was a game. She waited to see if Cleo took a drink, from the question she asked. The alcohol was starting to affect her a little.

Cleo held the same expression as a recently fed and slightly sleepy cat might have watching a baby bird. "As to your question, I've had lots of dates. I'm guessing you haven't? Especially if you've never kissed a boy."

Nassie tried to brush past her question, and asked. "My turn or yours?"

"Mine," Cleo purred. "I have never kissed a girl." again, she didn't drink, but watched Nassie carefully, fully expecting her to squirm. She was beginning to suspect the cadet was quite the ingenue.

Nassie did not pick up the drink, she grinned. She started to recall an uncomfortable memory, of a party at the academy. Where a random cadet, came up to her, and started to kiss her. The incident was very unpleasant for Nassie, but deep down she liked it a little. Which was confusing. Because she was attracted to men. "Its my turn. Never have I ever, been to drunk to report to duty." She said, hoping she would be able to tomorrow, the pace they were going with drinking, Nassie knew she would be drunk soon enough!

This time Cleo did drink. "The benefits of joining Starfleet after your student days are behind you," She said. "Though you may be about to find the consequences of being that drunk sooner than you think. Never have I ever... " Cleo narrowed her eyes, examining the cadet.

"Had a crush on a superior officer."

Nassie looked at the vile drink in front of her, and took another sip. It still burned going down. "I think we should switch back to the last drink. Wow this is strong." Nassie said, trying not to cough as impulse reaction to the drink. Her face was getting a little flushed. "Never have I ever, had a crush with a fellow officer on the Phoenix."
Nassie said, feeling a little bad for Cleo. Nassie just got here, but Cleo had been here for a while. She did ask if Nassie had a crush on a superior, so this was only fair. Nassie was not sure if she was to admit, who the crush was, or continue on, so she choose to continue on.

Cleo laughed and took a drink. "first rule of counselling in starfleet. Never shit where you eat. However badly you feel the urge."

"Well that's depressing, how else are you suppose to hook up?" Nassie asked. She did not mean that come out so rudely. She was mainly curious. She was still a virgin, she had kissed a man, but back on her homeworld, a nobel does not kiss and flaunt herself in an uncivilized manner. That's what commoners did, or so her mother told her so.

So naturally, she wanted to do it, but not with just anyone. But a nice guy. Sounded like Cleo would be the last person to point her to poor choices and good tastes. If she understood Cleo correctly, she would act more as her moral compass.

"There's shore leave. And holodecks. And of course, on an exploratory mission like this you never know who you will meet. Far more opportunities than you'd think. And just because I don't hook up for professional reasons, there's no laws in Starfleet about fraternising. If someone takes your fancy, go for it."

"Is that your professional opinion or a your friend to friend opinion?" She asked with a big grin on her face. Maybe she snap to a conclusion to early. What Cleo said made sense, but she was not sure if she would want to meet a guy on this ship anyways. There was no promises or commitments that after the academy, that she would be returning the the ship.

"Fortunately in this case, its both." Cleo raised her glass. "Who's question is it?"

"It's mine, never have I ever, played Vulcan kal toh, even though the game does look interesting." Nassie said, assuming at some point in her counseling session, she probably played the game to connect with one of her Vulcan colleagues.

Cleopatra took a swig of her iced tea. "Its a fussy nightmare." she warned, one false move and the whole thing comes down on you. Though if you ever go to a beach party, trying playing a giant version drunk. That's hilarious."

"I can imagine, so you like the beach. Are you more of a warm summer breeze type of gal, playing in the waves. Or the cold beach type of gal, that likes to watch the waves from her window view?" Nassie, breaking the game, mainly cause she was curious, to know the answer.

"It depends on the company," Cleo said. "Both have their pros and cons. Cold beaches can be fun, as long as there's someone there to keep you warm. And warm beaches can leave you with sand somewhere unmentionable."

Nassie gave a concerned look on her face, then smiled as she said. "I believe its your turn." She pointed out, as she started to feel the affects of the long island ice tea.

Cleo stirred her drink thoughtfully. "Never have I ever...done something dangerous to attract someone's attention." She made no effort to raise her glass, though she wondered if Nassie would raise hers.

Nassie raised her glass, thinking about all the attention seeking things she did, to get her parents attention back on Krios Prime. She was a young rebellious teenager. On the grand scheme of things, her infractions or what she called dangerous, others would probably say they are minor. Her parents were very strict about etiquette and their nobility. Nassie could careless about nobility.

Nassie could feel the alcohol starting to take affect. She smiled as she put down the glass. "It's vile, but getting easier to drink, my turn huh?" She half heartedly asked, as she thought for a moment. "Never have I ever sung karaoke." She said, wondering what it was like. She had seen others do it, but never had the courage to do it herself.

Cleo picked up her drink and knocked back two fingers. "Something I have managed to avoid. And I've tried many things."

Nassie was little said to hear that. If anyone seemed like a karaoke singer it was Cleo. She took a shot as well. She waited for Cleo's turn, but felt very funny, her orientation was a little off.

Cleo swirled her drink in the glass again. "Never have I ever...." her fingers drummed on the glass as she thought, "never have I ever wished I could be someone else."

"All the time growing up, I wish I grew up as a commoner, in my own way. I guess I'm living that dream. Well that's what would my mother would say." Nassie said, with a concerned look on her face, then she giggled. The alcohol was really kicking in.

So, strictly structured social roles, resented and rejected. There was a recipe for repression, projection and acting out. "For the freedom? or just to annoy your mother?"

"Annoy my mother at first, but I really like helping others." Nassie said as she thought more about the past events in her life. She wanted to get out of her parents shadow, and become. She saw how her parents treated Elloma. She had no desire to allow them the same right. She felt bad that she cut off Elloma too, but she felt that she abandoned her to the wolves, in this case her own parents.

"In the end, I think thats what really gets us all. Starfleet types, i mean." Cleo stared at the bottom of her drink. "We do it to be different, to be the rebel, to prove we can, and somewhere down the line we figure out its not about us actually, and that we're all more than okay with that. Sound right?"

"I suppose your right." Nassie said, as the alcohol really started to hit her blood stream. Her body felt warm and tingly. She was not sure, why she was smiling or giggling, but she thought it was a adorable.

"You are a bit of a lightweight, aren't you?" Cleo asked, noting that Nassie was definitely squiffy. "Maybe we should stop this here. Can't have you drunk or hungover on duty tomorrow."

The drink was really starting to infect her. She looked over to Cleo. "I did not know you had a twin on the ship." Nassie said with a big smile, and slur to her tone. She was feeling good, and extremely happy. "I should give her a hug." Nassie said, as she tried to stand up, but the ship started to spin.

"Alright," Cleo hastily put her glass down and grabbed to steady the cadet. "I think you definitely need a bit of nap time. Lets go you lying down before you fall down." She steered Nassie back towards her cabin, not showing any ill affects of the drinks herself. When they got to Nassies quarters, Cleo let her wobble in. "Drink plenty of water." She advised.

[OFF]

Cadet Senior Grade Nassie Essu
Operations Officer
USS Phoenix

Lieutenant Cleopatra McCaine
Counsellor
USS Pheonix

 

RSS Feed