More than one surprise! [Arch/Gabe]

[Captain's and First Officer's Quarters - USS Phoenix]

Archangel had been working on this for over two weeks now, carefully not letting on any indication that she had remembered her husband's birthday, but plotting behind the scenes. Now, on the day itself, she had taken herself off to their shared quarters, leaving him to deal with the bridge and, just as he would have been due to go off duty, she had arranged with the Chief Engineer to stage an emergency that would require his immediate attention in order to buy her some more time.

Now, she stood back to survey her handiwork. Well, hers and the girls'. She had baked mac and cheese as well as fried chicken keeping warm in the oven, and a slightly lopsided cake sitting in pride of place on the table with the words 'Hapi Birthdee Dadi!' written on it in uneven letters. Archangel made a mental note that next time, she would write out the words clearly for Seika to copy before letting the child wield the icing pen. There was a small pile of neatly wrapped presents, (and not so neatly in the case of Seika's, who had decided to wrap hers herself).

Now, with the girls sitting at the table, they were just waiting for the guest of honour himself to turn up. Archangel couldn't help but smile slightly as she realised that she was about to do exactly the same thing that he had done to her on her birthday.

[USS Phoenix - Quarters]

Unfastening his duty uniform sleeves, Gabriel pulled them back down, rubbing the crink out of his lower back. It didn't work. Gonna have to sweet-talk a back rub outta Arch, he thought, grinning at the thought. Finally, after a day from hell...he was on the way home. The call from Kestra had come from Engineering just right as he was about to go off-shift. That was both the blessing and curse of having come up from a Chief Engineer himself...he was constantly called on for assistance or opinions. In a way, it was flattering...but sometimes, a man just wanted to see his family instead of helping realign the harmonics in the gelpack neural transmitters.

At long last, the door to his home loomed before him. As it slid open, he looked around for the girls. They tended to be underfoot more often than not. A pleasant smell hit his nostrils, first thing...wow, is that... Yes, it was...mac and cheese? And chicken? "Alright," he said, cocking an eyebrow at the cake on the table. "Whaaaat's goin' on."

Gabriel Arthur wrote:

At long last, the door to his home loomed before him.  As it slid open, he looked around for the girls.  They tended to be underfoot more often than not.  A pleasant smell hit his nostrils, first thing...wow, is that...  Yes, it was...mac and cheese?  And chicken?  "Alright," he said, cocking an eyebrow at the cake on the table.  "Whaaaat's goin' on."

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY DADDY!" Seika squealed, bounding over to him in the strange, fawn-learning-to-run manner that her leg braces gave her. They would soon be coming off though, and the little girl would be free to give warp-ten hugs once again. As it was, she still ploughed into him with surprising force as she hugged him.

A few paces behind, appoaching at a more sedate pace, Archangel smiled at her husband, Aria perched on her hip, repeating 'happy beerday daddy' as she clapped her hands. All three of them were still covered by various floury prints and smears of icing, but that didn't stop Archangel leaning in to give her e'lev a quick peck on the lips.

"Happy birthday, e'lev!"

Gabriel jumped back a little bit as his family suddenly charged out of nowhere, their salutations quite loud.  Birthday, right...I should have known! he thought, as if the whole 'cake' thing wasn't enough to give it away.  Returning Arch's brief kiss, he grinned a wink at her, giving Aria a peck on the forehead as well.  He knelt down to return Seika's hug, even as she had completely latched herself on to his leg.  Gabe noted with satisfaction just how quickly she'd moved - those damn braces would be coming off, soon.  God willing.  It was a moment they'd been waiting for...for years, now.

"Happy beerday to me, huh?" he chuckled.  Glancing down at the flour that covered his uniform, Gabriel was reminded of a dinner once, years ago.  It had been the first time he'd cooked for Archangel and Seika, and the little girl had insisted on helping him make biscuits.  "How'd you pull this one off?"

The smile on Archangel's face was wide and slightly cheeky as she handed Aria to her father. "How did I pull this one off? I'm the captain, and an intelligence officer. Sneaky is in my nature," she joked. "And I had Kestra keep you behind a little longer. Call it captain's privilege."

Moving quickly over to the oven, she removed the dishes of food, glad to see that they weren't burnt as she carried them over to the table, setting them down on heat-proof mats. "Seika helped with the food. So did Aria, but she was having too much fun playing with the breadcrumbs rather than actually putting them in."

Archangel T'Koris wrote:

The smile on Archangel's face was wide and slightly cheeky as she handed Aria to her father.  "How did I pull this one off?  I'm the captain, and an intelligence officer.  Sneaky is in my nature," she joked.  "And I had Kestra keep you behind a little longer.  Call it captain's privilege."

Moving quickly over to the oven, she removed the dishes of food, glad to see that they weren't burnt as she carried them over to the table, setting them down on heat-proof mats.  "Seika helped with the food.  So did Aria, but she was having too much fun playing with the breadcrumbs rather than actually putting them in."

"Sneaky, huh?" he said, grinning broadly. Gabriel held Aria up, the little girl squealing with delight as she was lifted into the air. She wasn't quite so little as she was, though. And growing by the second. "You've got a birthday coming up soon, too? Both of ya do," he winked at Seika. He could see that Aria had been in the bread...the front of her onesie was pretty much covered in it.

Gabe settled his youngest into her chair at the table, moving over to help Archangel carry the rest of the food over. "Smells wonderful, Angel. I think you've outdone yourself." With their hands now relatively free, he was able to put a more solid kiss on the side of her cheek. From where she sat in her seat, Seika made vocal exactly what she thought of that with a loud "Ewww!"

Gabriel Arthur wrote:

"Sneaky, huh?" he said, grinning broadly.  Gabriel held Aria up, the little girl squealing with delight as she was lifted into the air.  She wasn't quite so little as she was, though.  And growing by the second.  "You've got a birthday coming up soon, too?  Both of ya do," he winked at Seika.  He could see that Aria had been in the bread...the front of her onesie was pretty much covered in it.

Gabe settled his youngest into her chair at the table, moving over to help Archangel carry the rest of the food over.  "Smells wonderful, Angel.  I think you've outdone yourself."  With their hands now relatively free, he was able to put a more solid kiss on the side of her cheek.  From where she sat in her seat, Seika made vocal exactly what she thought of that with a loud "Ewww!"

Archangel smiled as she felt her husband's lips on her cheek again, turning around and poking him playfully in the side with the serving spoon. "Sit down, mister! Your food's getting cold!" She started to dish out the steaming meal, setting a heaped plate in front of him. Smaller plates were then put in front of the girls before Archangel finally sat down with her own small portion.

"Sorry for setting up the emergency call from Kestra, by the way. I needed more time. Aria decided that it would be more fun to wear the cake batter rather than put it in the pan."

Archangel T'Koris wrote:

Archangel smiled as she felt her husband's lips on her cheek again, turning around and poking him playfully in the side with the serving spoon.  "Sit down, mister!  Your food's getting cold!"  She started to dish out the steaming meal, setting a heaped plate in front of him.  Smaller plates were then put in front of the girls before Archangel finally sat down with her own small portion.

"Sorry for setting up the emergency call from Kestra, by the way.  I needed more time.  Aria decided that it would be more fun to wear the cake batter rather than put it in the pan."

"Ah, well...I guess I'll have to deal with Ms. Celes' complicit duplicity later," he chuckled, wondering what bad precedent it'd set to put the Chief Engineer to degaussing the transporter pads. Oh well. It was for a good purpose.

He reached over, helping cut up some smaller pieces for Aria to chew on. "So the cake was a group effort too, hm? I'd call it a success...it's lovely, e'lev. All of this is." Gabriel had received a message from his family via subspace radio wishing him a happy birthday. He would have assumed Chira had been behind this, had she not been on her Bajoran honeymoon. The mac and cheese was delightful, though he noted how little food was on Archangel's plate. That was a never-ending battle of wills. He'd have to...suggest...she eat some more a bit later.

Gabriel Arthur wrote:

"Ah, well...I guess I'll have to deal with Ms. Celes' complicit duplicity later," he chuckled, wondering what bad precedent it'd set to put the Chief Engineer to degaussing the transporter pads.  Oh well.  It was for a good purpose.

He reached over, helping cut up some smaller pieces for Aria to chew on.  "So the cake was a group effort too, hm?  I'd call it a success...it's lovely, e'lev.  All of this is."  Gabriel had received a message from his family via subspace radio wishing him a happy birthday.  He would have assumed Chira had been behind this, had she not been on her Bajoran honeymoon.  The mac and cheese was delightful, though he noted how little food was on Archangel's plate.  That was a never-ending battle of wills.  He'd have to...suggest...she eat some more a bit later.  

"Be nice," Archangel playfully warned at Gabriel's suggestion of dealing with their chief engineer's part in keeping him away from the dinner preparations. "I did put her up to it."

Seika, true to form, was hoovering up her food with tribble-like enthusiasm, bringing a fond smile to her mother's face. The young Romulan speared a bite, chewing it carefully. Swallowing, she leaned a little closer into Gabriel's side, to quietly murmur:

"There will be more surprises once the girls have gone to bed."

Archangel T'Koris wrote:

"Be nice," Archangel playfully warned at Gabriel's suggestion of dealing with their chief engineer's part in keeping him away from the dinner preparations.  "I did put her up to it."

Seika, true to form, was hoovering up her food with tribble-like enthusiasm, bringing a fond smile to her mother's face.  The young Romulan speared a bite, chewing it carefully.  Swallowing, she leaned a little closer into Gabriel's side, to quietly murmur:

"There will be more surprises once the girls have gone to bed."

Gabriel was in the midst of taking a long sip of doublemint tea when he felt the warmth of his wife's breath in his ear. What she said made him cough a little bit, choking on the tea. He glanced over with a sly grin. Was it possible to put the girls to bed now? No, of course not...there'd be a riot on their hands. Seika looked up from her plate, taking a break from tearing into hear meal. "You always should chew your food, daddy, so you don't choke like that." She nodded with satisfaction, returning to her mac and cheese.

"Er...yep. Good advice, lil' lady," he smiled, touching his wife's knee under the table. "So...can you girls guess how many years old I am, now?"

Gabriel Arthur wrote:

Gabriel was in the midst of taking a long sip of doublemint tea when he felt the warmth of his wife's breath in his ear.  What she said made him cough a little bit, choking on the tea.  He glanced over with a sly grin.  Was it possible to put the girls to bed now?  No, of course not...there'd be a riot on their hands.  Seika looked up from her plate, taking a break from tearing into hear meal.  "You always should chew your food, daddy, so you don't choke like that."  She nodded with satisfaction, returning to her mac and cheese.

"Er...yep.  Good advice, lil' lady," he smiled, touching his wife's knee under the table.  "So...can you girls guess how many years old I am, now?"

Physical contact, even with Gabriel, had been something that Archangel had had to work on accepting after the incident with Jarris, but she fully intended to show him how much progress she had made in that respect once the girls had gone to bed.

She had to admit, though, that she quite enjoyed watching his reaction to her teasing words. She smiled at her daughter as the little girl pointed out the logic of chewing food before swallowing it, something that Archangel often had to remind the little girl of.

Feeling a hand on her knee, she glanced to her husband with a sly smile. Before she could say anything though, Seika piped up with an answer.

"Auntie Kee says that you're her little brother, so that means you're less than... less than..." her eyes crossed slightly as she tried to remember. "Fifty?"

Archangel T'Koris wrote:

Physical contact, even with Gabriel, had been something that Archangel had had to work on accepting after the incident with Jarris, but she fully intended to show him how much progress she had made in that respect once the girls had gone to bed.

She had to admit, though, that she quite enjoyed watching his reaction to her teasing words.  She smiled at her daughter as the little girl pointed out the logic of chewing food before swallowing it, something that Archangel often had to remind the little girl of.

Feeling a hand on her knee, she glanced to her husband with a sly smile.  Before she could say anything though, Seika piped up with an answer.

"Auntie Kee says that you're her little brother, so that means you're less than... less than..." her eyes crossed slightly as she tried to remember.  "Fifty?"

Laughing, Gabriel shook his head, taking another sip of tea. "Fifty, huh? Well, yes...it is 'less than' fifty." He imagined Chira's face when she heard that her niece assumed she was over fifty. She'd had a hard enough time seeing the other end of thirty. "I am twenty-eight years old. That's twenty-three more years than you have...and twenty-six more than Aria." Hearing her name, Aria looked up from where she had been feeding herself some macaroni. She waved her little hand, flinging a cheesy bit across the table.

Gabriel Arthur wrote:

Laughing, Gabriel shook his head, taking another sip of tea.  "Fifty, huh?  Well, yes...it is 'less than' fifty."  He imagined Chira's face when she heard that her niece assumed she was over fifty.  She'd had a hard enough time seeing the other end of thirty.  "I am twenty-eight years old.  That's twenty-three more years than you have...and twenty-six more than Aria."  Hearing her name, Aria looked up from where she had been feeding herself some macaroni.  She waved her little hand, flinging a cheesy bit across the table.

It was easy to settle back and enjoy this scene of domestic bliss, and that's exactly what Archangel did as she took a sip of tea, watching Gabriel interact with his daughters. She smiled as Aria decided to see just how far she could fling her dinner, getting to her feet and removing the rest of the ammunition.

"That's enough now, Aria," she admonished gently. "Food is not for throwing, you know that."

Archangel T'Koris wrote:

It was easy to settle back and enjoy this scene of domestic bliss, and that's exactly what Archangel did as she took a sip of tea, watching Gabriel interact with his daughters.  She smiled as Aria decided to see just how far she could fling her dinner, getting to her feet and removing the rest of the ammunition.  

"That's enough now, Aria," she admonished gently.  "Food is not for throwing, you know that."

Gabriel finished up the main part of his dinner, laughing softly as Arch ran interference against Aria's hail-Mary passes of pasta. It warmed his heart to see her this way...being the master of a vessel like the Phoenix, the Fifth Fleet's flagship, left precious little in the way of personal time. Here, in the sanctity of their own quarters...their own home...she could take off the masks she had to wear - Romulan, captain, political pawn - and just be Archangel. The mother of his children, and the love of his life.

"That's right, Miss Aria," he said, gently wiping some cheese off of her cherubic cheeks. God alone knew what she'd do with the cake. Speaking of which..."So! That cake's been callin' to me since I came in the door. Time to cut it?" he asked, waggling his eyebrows at Seika.

Gabriel Arthur wrote:

Gabriel finished up the main part of his dinner, laughing softly as Arch ran interference against Aria's hail-Mary passes of pasta.  It warmed his heart to see her this way...being the master of a vessel like the Phoenix, the Fifth Fleet's flagship, left precious little in the way of personal time.  Here, in the sanctity of their own quarters...their own home...she could take off the masks she had to wear - Romulan, captain, political pawn - and just be Archangel.  The mother of his children, and the love of his life.  

"That's right, Miss Aria," he said, gently wiping some cheese off of her cherubic cheeks.  God alone knew what she'd do with the cake.  Speaking of which..."So!  That cake's been callin' to me since I came in the door.  Time to cut it?" he asked, waggling his eyebrows at Seika.

"CAKE!" Seika squealed in delight. "I did all the writing on it!"

"That she did," Archangel agreed, ruffling her daughter's hair before adding in a joking tone: "Unfortunately, she also did all the spelling on it."

With all of the dishes from the main course in the replicator and the cake now sat in front of Gabriel, Archangel handed him the knife to make the first cut. "Sorry about the lack of candles, but I'd rather not have the environmental control systems cutting in and trying to put them out!"

Archangel T'Koris wrote:

"CAKE!" Seika squealed in delight.  "I did all the writing on it!"

"That she did," Archangel agreed, ruffling her daughter's hair before adding in a joking tone:  "Unfortunately, she also did all the spelling on it."  

With all of the dishes from the main course in the replicator and the cake now sat in front of Gabriel, Archangel handed him the knife to make the first cut.  "Sorry about the lack of candles, but I'd rather not have the environmental control systems cutting in and trying to put them out!"

"You did, huh? I never would have guessed," Gabriel grinned, giving Seika a quick peck on the top of the head. She was coming along quite well in her studies, able to form letters and and arrange them in the proper order...or a close semblance thereof.

Gabe laughed as Arch handed him the pastry knife, nodding. "Yeah. We're supposed to be the paragons of virtue for this ship, after all. We can't go around having arbitrarily open flames. He carefully cut the cake into sections, noting with an inward smile at the slightly-lopsided nature of the treat. Archangel had been fairly indifferent toward food (and still was, in a lot of ways) before she'd met him, and had definitely not known a lot about manual cooking processes. It meant a lot that she had taken the time to prepare all this...as it always did every time she cooked. Gabriel was happy any time his wife took the time to nurture her creative outlets. She'd spent too long with people telling her exactly what to do...and who she should be.

"Thank you, daddy," Seika said, as she eagerly took a bite of her cake. Gabe wondered if Arch had used non-saccharine sweeteners in the icing, since sugar and Vulcanoids tended to...well, make his baby girls bounce off the walls, to put it mildly. Not that that fact had ever stopped him from indulging them. "Ank oo!" Aria repeated, dabbing her finger in chocolate and licking it.

Archangel sat down with a feeling of contentment as she watched Gabriel cut and distribute the cake. It had gone down as well as she had hoped, maybe even better since she constantly had a nagging doubt that she was doing something wrong.

Picking up her fork, she carefully sliced a bite of cake from the piece on her plate and chewed it slowly, more for Gabriel's benefit than her own. She had been very careful in the ingredients used in the cake, but it was still something of a relief that he had given them both small pieces. It was hard enough as it was to get the pair of them to go to sleep at their assigned bedtimes.

She sat in silence, simply watching her family, a slight smile on her face.

Archangel T'Koris wrote:

Archangel sat down with a feeling of contentment as she watched Gabriel cut and distribute the cake.  It had gone down as well as she had hoped, maybe even better since she constantly had a nagging doubt that she was doing something wrong.

Picking up her fork, she carefully sliced a bite of cake from the piece on her plate and chewed it slowly, more for Gabriel's benefit than her own.  She had been very careful in the ingredients used in the cake, but it was still something of a relief that he had given them both small pieces.  It was hard enough as it was to get the pair of them to go to sleep at their assigned bedtimes.

She sat in silence, simply watching her family, a slight smile on her face.

"Cake's great, Angel," Gabriel said, finishing off his slice. The girls had long since devoured theirs, and so he'd given them the tiniest of slivers more, knowing how both of them loved their sweets. The line between doting and spoiling was a thin one, and he liked to believe that he walked it fairly well.

Once everyone was finished and the clatter of fork-on-plate had silenced, Gabriel helped his wife take up the dishes and put the rest of the cake leftovers into stasis. Any replicated food would have just been recycled, but this...this cake was special. "So," he grinned, sitting back down. "I think I saw some presents sittin' there, all wrapped pretty..."

Gabriel Arthur wrote:

"Cake's great, Angel," Gabriel said, finishing off his slice.  The girls had long since devoured theirs, and so he'd given them the tiniest of slivers more, knowing how both of them loved their sweets.  The line between doting and spoiling was a thin one, and he liked to believe that he walked it fairly well.  

Once everyone was finished and the clatter of fork-on-plate had silenced, Gabriel helped his wife take up the dishes and put the rest of the cake leftovers into stasis.  Any replicated food would have just been recycled, but this...this cake was special.  "So," he grinned, sitting back down.  "I think I saw some presents sittin' there, all wrapped pretty..."

True to her nature when it came to food, Archangel had only had a few more bites of her cake before toying with the rest of it, so the end of the meal came as something of a relief to her as she was able to put her dishes into the replicator for recycling.

Seika started jumping up and down as her father mentioned the presents, grabbing a haphazardly wrapped box from the pile and handed it to Gabriel.

"I made this for you!"

Archangel T'Koris wrote:

True to her nature when it came to food, Archangel had only had a few more bites of her cake before toying with the rest of it, so the end of the meal came as something of a relief to her as she was able to put her dishes into the replicator for recycling.

Seika started jumping up and down as her father mentioned the presents, grabbing a haphazardly wrapped box from the pile and handed it to Gabriel.

"I made this for you!"

Gabe smiled happily as Seika handed him the box. "You made it? I see you wrapped it, too. Well...let's see what it is!" He made a great show of looking at the box, examining it with one eye squinted, hefting the weight of it, all the while causing Seika to squirm with anticipation. "Open it! Open it!" she said, drumming her heels against the chair. Aria seemed to get in the spirit, too, saying, "Open! Open!"

Finally, Gabriel relented, taking the lopsided paper off of the gift box.

Gabriel Arthur wrote:

Gabe smiled happily as Seika handed him the box.  "You made it?  I see you wrapped it, too.  Well...let's see what it is!"  He made a great show of looking at the box, examining it with one eye squinted, hefting the weight of it, all the while causing Seika to squirm with anticipation.  "Open it!  Open it!" she said, drumming her heels against the chair.  Aria seemed to get in the spirit, too, saying, "Open!  Open!"

Finally, Gabriel relented, taking the lopsided paper off of the gift box.

Archangel watched with some amusement at the display Gabriel was making of not opening the box, much to the girls' annoyance. It had taken Seika quite a while to craft that particular piece which, despite being a little squint and off in some details, was probably one of her best yet.

Inside the box was a clay model of the Phoenix, complete with a the registry carefully etched into the disc of the ship, and a certain little girl's fingerprints.

Archangel T'Koris wrote:

Archangel watched with some amusement at the display Gabriel was making of not opening the box, much to the girls' annoyance.  It had taken Seika quite a while to craft that particular piece which, despite being a little squint and off in some details, was probably one of her best yet.

Inside the box was a clay model of the Phoenix, complete with a the registry carefully etched into the disc of the ship, and a certain little girl's fingerprints.

Holding up the little clay starship, Gabriel made a wwwoooosh sound with it, flying it over close to where Seika sat.  He landed a kiss to her cheek, grinning.  "It's great, kiddo!  You did a really good job."  That was quite true - it seemed like Seika was developing her artistic talents along very well, from her coloring and drawing, now to this.  The next time they were on Earth, he'd have to show her the myriad sculptures he'd made for his parents and grandparents as a kid.

Carefully setting the clay ship on the tabletop, he reached for another package.  "Hmm...this one looks like a good candidate."

Gabriel Arthur wrote:

Holding up the little clay starship, Gabriel made a wwwoooosh sound with it, flying it over close to where Seika sat.  He landed a kiss to her cheek, grinning.  "It's great, kiddo!  You did a really good job."  That was quite true - it seemed like Seika was developing her artistic talents along very well, from her coloring and drawing, now to this.  The next time they were on Earth, he'd have to show her the myriad sculptures he'd made for his parents and grandparents as a kid.

Carefully setting the clay ship on the tabletop, he reached for another package.  "Hmm...this one looks like a good candidate."

Watching with an amused expression as Gabriel picked up the second of the three packages, Archangel remembered when she had made the purchase. She had been carrying Aria through the starbase's promenade when she had pointed out the stall and said 'like Daddy's!'. The stall in question had been selling various pieces of Starfleet memorabilia, some of which was obviously faked, but some of the patches at least appeared real. A few tests on the chosen piece had determined that it was real.

"Aria helped pick that one out," Archangel told him. "She has quite the eye for details!"

Archangel T'Koris wrote:

Watching with an amused expression as Gabriel picked up the second of the three packages, Archangel remembered when she had made the purchase.  She had been carrying Aria through the starbase's promenade when she had pointed out the stall and said 'like Daddy's!'.  The stall in question had been selling various pieces of Starfleet memorabilia, some of which was obviously faked, but some of the patches at least appeared real.  A few tests on the chosen piece had determined that it was real.

"Aria helped pick that one out," Archangel told him.  "She has quite the eye for details!"

"Oh my," was all Gabriel could think to say as he held out the mission patch from the little box. "Jupiter Station...by the looks of it, mid...mid-2250s." He grinned widely, holding the patch like a fisherman who had just plucked a champion wall-hanger out of a pond. "This'll go great in the collection. Thank you, sweetie," he said, ruffling Aria's hair and kissing her rosy cheeks. "And thank you," he winked to Archangel. It was hard to even fathom what the thing had cost in real money, but...he knew that if he had been the one to buy the gift, he'd not want her worrying about the price, and so Gabriel would do likewise.

He set the patch down next to the starship and took up the third and last box. "I can't even imagine what this one is."

Gabriel Arthur wrote:

"Oh my," was all Gabriel could think to say as he held out the mission patch from the little box.  "Jupiter Station...by the looks of it, mid...mid-2250s."  He grinned widely, holding the patch like a fisherman who had just plucked a champion wall-hanger out of a pond.  "This'll go great in the collection.  Thank you, sweetie," he said, ruffling Aria's hair and kissing her rosy cheeks.  "And thank you," he winked to Archangel.  It was hard to even fathom what the thing had cost in real money, but...he knew that if he had been the one to buy the gift, he'd not want her worrying about the price, and so Gabriel would do likewise.

He set the patch down next to the starship and took up the third and last box.  "I can't even imagine what this one is."

Aria giggled and clapped her hands happily, even if she wasn't quite old enough to understand the significance of gift-giving occasions and the thanks associated with them.

The last parcel was from Archangel herself, and one that she had been quite proud of finding. It was an old, leather-bround copy of the Iliad. Unfortunately, it wasn't in the original Greek, but she hoped that it would still be acceptable to him.