Some time later Julien found Karina again in sickbay and smiled at her, his oddly mismatched green eyes twinkling. He was quite old for a Lt. jg., in his fourties, his short black curls had a few streaks of white at the temples which formed quite a contrast to his tanned skin.

“Hello Dr Niles. I’m now an official member of the medical staff I’m happy to say and I would really appreciate if you could help me find my bearings … I’ve never been on a ship with /three/ sickbays.” he said in his deep rumbling baritone.

• Dr. Julien Smith

Once more, Karina had the feeling it was line. But, she smiled and nodded, it was a fairly good one. “Well they are all laid out the same, except this one which includes the CMO’s office and the specially surgery area.” She nodded across the room to the end could be sealed for simple sterility, noise, light or even quarantine.

Setting the door in place over her last set of instrument checks, she turned to Julien and nodded. “I was about to have lunch. You’re welcome to join me. Nothing fancy, I fear, just the lounge fare.” The invitation was genuine, even if a little stammered. Karina had never learned the fine art of flirting. Her couple run ins with Grey reminded her of that. But even just friendly conversation seemed a bit awkward to her. She had spent all her time the ship, (both times… her mind whispered) just trying to keep her head down and to her duties.

She motioned to the door behind him for him to join her if he wanted.

Ens Karina Niles
Doctor

His smile widened and made that dimple appear in his left cheek. “Lounge fare sounds good to me, and that way, I don’t have to go there alone as a newbie and sit on a lonesome table with everyone wondering who I am.” he said and chuckled a deep rumbling chuckle.

He walked with Karina towards the exit. “How long have you been serving on the Athena?” he asked in an easy conversational tone.

• Julien Smith, doctor