Welcome Back Pardek (Gabe/Arch/Safefta)

[USS Phoenix - Captain's Personal Mess]

Though he was certainly not the captain, being the spouse of one entitled him to use the Captain's Mess with impunity. And so here he was, nodding to a few members of the civilian waitstaff as they filed out of the room, leaving a plate of sandwiches and a jug of tea behind. He could have replicated the whole kit and caboodle, but this was no ordinary reception. Their friend, Safefta, was returning to active service, and aboard Archangel's own vessel, no less. Starfleet was more transparent than they thought, putting all the Romulans in the service on the same vessel, but Gabe was still happy for it. Arch and Saf were fairly close, and he considered the security officer to be a friend, as well.

The sandwich plate held a mixture of turkey, beef, and vegetable finger-foods. Had he been feeling more confident in his abilities, he might have tried his hand again at one of those Romulan recipes. Those, however, would take more skill on his part. Gabriel glanced at the chronometer, smiling. If that meeting didn't run long, Arch should be along soon.

[USS Pheonix - Corridors]

Despite the winding crowds wandering through the station, Safefta's journey through them was a remarkably solitary one. She had no intention of speaking to anyone she passed and they had little desire to do the same to her. It was almost a cold sort of harmony between the deadpan Romulan and the rest of her surroundings.

Of course, she wasn't going to be silent forever. In fact, she was on her way to do just the opposite- to meet up with some old... friends? What Gabriel at that level yet? Well, he is Archangels chosen mate and he seems to post little threat. I suppose that qualifies.

When she'd applied for a new ship, she hadn't expected to get the one that Archangel was in command of, and she was very pleased to receive her transfer orders. That was about as easy as it was going to get when it came to acclimating to a new crew, to have familiar faces in command.

Pardek didn't know whether Archangel had returned from her meeting yet, but she pressed the door chime politely anyway. Whether or not it was seen to be odd for an ensign to be poking at the door to the captain's mess or not never even occurred to her.

So, she waited.

Gabe glanced up from the table as the door chime sounded, cocking an eyebrow. Obviously, Arch wouldn't ring before entering her own Captain's Mess, so the person outside must be Safefta. He felt a little surge of elation. It had been what seemed like ages since he'd seen the perpetually-quiet Romulan girl, and it also seemed like a lifetime ago that they'd been together on a ship. Gabriel had been happy when he'd heard that Pardek had been assigned to their new command. Archangel could always use more friends.

"Come on in," he called out, grinning widely as the door slid open, revealing the Romulan. "Saf!" he said, moving over to her for a hug. He couldn't help but notice that she'd taken to not coloring her hair anymore.

Without warning, Safefta found herself enveloped in a hug moments after the doors opened. ...! Nope. Nope. Nope. The Romulan's face contorted into one of clear discomfort as she tolerated the embrace. A year or so ago, she might have physically shoved him away. Improvement or not, Safefta was very disgruntled when she was released.

"Er, yes, Jolan'tru, Commander," the Ensign greeted. Within a moment, her eyes dropped to the ground. However hard she tried, obviously she wasn't going to be a perfect guest and her typical mannerisms were far too easy to slide back into. Sure, Gabriel was on familiar terms... but that accounted for very little.

Obviously, Archangel wasn't back yet. Oh. Elements... "It is... good to see you," she said without any verbal hint of meaning.

Meetings, meetings and more meetings. When it wasn't with her senior staff, it was with Admirals wanting updates on how the patrols of the Federation's borders were doing. Archangel was just glad to get away from them. She hated having to sit and play nice with the top brass, but she didn't really have a choice.

And what better way to get away from meetings than to greet her best friend and fellow Romulan who was coming back to Starfleet and under Archangel's own command. She was eager to see Safefta again.

Making her way to the captain's mess, Archangel didn't bother to chime the door, since this was her private dining area after all, and smiled brightly as she saw two of her favourite people in the galaxy.

"Saf!"

Safefta Pardek wrote:

Without warning, Safefta found herself enveloped in a hug moments after the doors opened. ...! Nope. Nope. Nope. The Romulan's face contorted into one of clear discomfort as she tolerated the embrace. A year or so ago, she might have physically shoved him away. Improvement or not, Safefta was very disgruntled when she was released.

"Er, yes, Jolan'tru, Commander," the Ensign greeted. Within a moment, her eyes dropped to the ground. However hard she tried, obviously she wasn't going to be a perfect guest and her typical mannerisms were far too easy to slide back into. Sure, Gabriel was on familiar terms... but that accounted for very little.

Obviously, Archangel wasn't back yet. Oh. Elements... "It is... good to see you," she said without any verbal hint of meaning.

"Yep," Gabe said, still grinning.  Safefta was as warm and open as ever, which was...not all that much, to be honest.  She was really more Archangel's friend than his, but he'd always gotten on well with her.  Or, rather, he assumed that she put up with him, in a long-suffering manner.  "Arch'll be along soon, I'm sure.  You're welcome to grab a plate...can I get you anything to drink?"

Arch wrote:

Making her way to the captain's mess, Archangel didn't bother to chime the door, since this was her private dining area after all, and smiled brightly as she saw two of her favourite people in the galaxy.

"Saf!"

The doors slid open again, and Gabriel couldn't have stopped the smile that spread over his face, even if he'd wanted to.  "Hullo, e'lev," he said, slipping over for a quick peck.  "Look who I found!"

Gabriel Arthur wrote:

"Yep," Gabe said, still grinning.  Safefta was as warm and open as ever, which was...not all that much, to be honest.  She was really more Archangel's friend than his, but he'd always gotten on well with her.  Or, rather, he assumed that she put up with him, in a long-suffering manner.  "Arch'll be along soon, I'm sure.  You're welcome to grab a plate...can I get you anything to drink?"

Pardek was hearitly attempting not to be overwhelmed. "Ah, no thank you..." she said in a highly awkward manner. Coffee would be nice, come to think.

Archangel T'Koris wrote:

Meetings, meetings and more meetings.  When it wasn't with her senior staff, it was with Admirals wanting updates on how the patrols of the Federation's borders were doing.  Archangel was just glad to get away from them.  She hated having to sit and play nice with the top brass, but she didn't really have a choice.

And what better way to get away from meetings than to greet her best friend and fellow Romulan who was coming back to Starfleet and under Archangel's own command.  She was eager to see Safefta again.  

Making her way to the captain's mess, Archangel didn't bother to chime the door, since this was her private dining area after all, and smiled brightly as she saw two of her favourite people in the galaxy.

"Saf!"  

Safefta was already beginning to remember just how bizarre she found the nickname that some of her... friends... called her. Saf. Why would someone shorten a name like that? She'd always thought that Archangel, as a partial Romulan herself, would be less likely to abuse something so important as a name.

Unfortunately, like most social things, she avoided asking for an explanation, even if it would make things easier in the long run.

"Jolan'tru, Archangel," she said, her soft voice barely a contestant against Arch's loud greeting.

Gabriel Arthur wrote:

The doors slid open again, and Gabriel couldn't have stopped the smile that spread over his face, even if he'd wanted to.  "Hullo, e'lev," he said, slipping over for a quick peck.  "Look who I found!"

It was difficult for Safefta to process just how... happy, and settled Archangel looked. She was married, Safefta knew she had children, and now she was captain of a starship. Silently, she was very happy for how things had gone for her friend. It certainly wasn't anything she saw for herself at any point in the future.

"Er, yes. You have... found me." Awkward as ever, it seemed.

Safefta Pardek wrote:

Safefta was already beginning to remember just how bizarre she found the nickname that some of her... friends... called her. Saf. Why would someone shorten a name like that? She'd always thought that Archangel, as a partial Romulan herself, would be less likely to abuse something so important as a name.

Unfortunately, like most social things, she avoided asking for an explanation, even if it would make things easier in the long run.

"Jolan'tru, Archangel," she said, her soft voice barely a contestant against Arch's loud greeting.



It was difficult for Safefta to process just how... happy, and settled Archangel looked. She was married, Safefta knew she had children, and now she was captain of a starship. Silently, she was very happy for how things had gone for her friend. It  certainly wasn't anything she saw for herself at any point in the future.

"Er, yes. You have... found me." Awkward as ever, it seemed.

As much as Archangel wanted to hug her friend, she restrained herself from that open display of affection for the other Romulan. She remembered how reserved Safefta could be, and how much she had fallen into human mannerisms. So she settled for inclining her head to her.

"Jolan'tru, Safefta," she replied before moving to Gabriel, returning his brief peck to the cheek. "Hm, food. Why am I not surprised that you decided that we needed fed, e'lev?"

Archangel T'Koris wrote:

As much as Archangel wanted to hug her friend, she restrained herself from that open display of affection for the other Romulan.  She remembered how reserved Safefta could be, and how much she had fallen into human mannerisms.  So she settled for inclining her head to her.

"Jolan'tru, Safefta," she replied before moving to Gabriel, returning his brief peck to the cheek.  "Hm, food.  Why am I not surprised that you decided that we needed fed, e'lev?"

"Because between the both of you, you have a diet scant enough to starve a damn ant," Gabriel grinned. He moved over toward the replicator, keying in some tea. It was impossible to miss how...awkward...Safefta's mannerisms were, and how Archangel didn't seem to know just how to respond. Been too long among the rest of us, he thought. She's almost forgotten how to act paranoid, hunted, and distant.

"Get you guys anything to drink?"

Gabriel Arthur wrote:

"Because between the both of you, you have a diet scant enough to starve a damn ant," Gabriel grinned.  He moved over toward the replicator, keying in some tea.  It was impossible to miss how...awkward...Safefta's mannerisms were, and how Archangel didn't seem to know just how to respond.  Been too long among the rest of us, he thought.  She's almost forgotten how to act paranoid, hunted, and distant.

"Get you guys anything to drink?"

"Mmpf, I suppose you're right," Archangel replied with a good-natured grumble. Her eating habits were a constant battlefield. She was glad that neither Seika nor Aria shared her trepidation around food. It would likely have driven Gabriel up the wall.

"Uh, tea? Please?" the Romulan asked Gabriel as he made his way over to the replicator set into the wall. She clasped her hands behind her back, looking at her feet, unsure of what to say next.