Skeletons Galore [Saf/Arch]

[Command Officer's Quarters]

It had been a long time since Archangel had been able to catch up with her old friend, Safefta Pardek.  In fact, until Safefta had been transferred to the Phoenix, Archangel hadn't really spoken to her since her own transfer off the Discovery back in the Fourth Fleet.  Now, she was determined to put aside some time and just talk to the other Romulan, especially since her quarters now felt so empty without Gabriel and the girls to fill them with life. The piles of toys, the scattering of actual books, Gabriel's mission patch collection on the wall, they were all gone, neatly packed into cargo crates and shipped back to Earth with her family.

She hadn't bothered to change out of uniform beyond unzipping her jacket. There wasn't any point any more in any case. No one to cook for, no one to tuck in at night or play music to. Just one lonely Romulan and one tribble.

Taking a seat on the couch, she gazed out of the large viewports that took up one wall of her quarters, looking out in the direction of Earth before looking round at the chime of the door.

"Come in, Safefta!" she called to the computer to allow her guest entry.

Archangel T'Koris wrote:

[Command Officer's Quarters]

It had been a long time since Archangel had been able to catch up with her old friend, Safefta Pardek.  In fact, until Safefta had been transferred to the Phoenix, Archangel hadn't really spoken to her since her own transfer off the Discovery back in the Fourth Fleet.  Now, she was determined to put aside some time and just talk to the other Romulan, especially since her quarters now felt so empty without Gabriel and the girls to fill them with life.  The piles of toys, the scattering of actual books, Gabriel's mission patch collection on the wall, they were all gone, neatly packed into cargo crates and shipped back to Earth with her family.

She hadn't bothered to change out of uniform beyond unzipping her jacket.  There wasn't any point any more in any case.  No one to cook for, no one to tuck in at night or play music to.  Just one lonely Romulan and one tribble.

Taking a seat on the couch, she gazed out of the large viewports that took up one wall of her quarters, looking out in the direction of Earth before looking round at the chime of the door.

"Come in, Safefta!" she called to the computer to allow her guest entry.

[Corridors]

Archangel. How could she forget her? Ever since their first assignment together some decade and a half ago, they'd been friends. Given Safefta's propensity for failing to initiate friendships, it was a minor miracle that she'd become friends with the other romulan at all. In fact, if it hadn't been for a mutiny that required a form of instant bonding over a shared species, they may have just ended up avoiding one another.

Now, she was one of her closest friends... after maybe Alexander. And like Alexander, Archangel had offered her over for a drink. Safefta was a solitary drinker, but... it couldn't hurt. Besides, she'd barely spoken to her since she'd gotten aboard.

Pardek had no civilian clothes. She wasn't even any more relaxed- her uniform was zippered all the way up. It was just an outward show of how guarded she was, even in front of T'Koris.

When prompted to enter, she did so. She even managed the faintest hint of a familiar smile for her friend.

"Jolan'tru, Archangel."

Looking up as Safefta stepped into her silent quarters, Archangel managed the faintest of smiles in response to the one on her friend's face. At that point, a friend was the only thing she wanted to see, so soon after having packed her family off in a shuttle headed for Earth.

"Jolan'tru, Safefta," she replied, gesturing for the other Romulan to take a seat on the couch opposite the one she was currently sitting on. It was a fairly safe bet that Safefta wouldn't sit next to her. She leaned forward to take hold of the bottle sitting on the coffee table, picking it up and looking at the label for a moment before she sighed and, ignoring the two glasses she had set out, simply handed the whole bottle to Safefta and picked up another from the floor. This was not going to be a day in which glasses would be used to measure their alcohol intake.

Archangel T'Koris wrote:

Looking up as Safefta stepped into her silent quarters, Archangel managed the faintest of smiles in response to the one on her friend's face.  At that point, a friend was the only thing she wanted to see, so soon after having packed her family off in a shuttle headed for Earth.

"Jolan'tru, Safefta," she replied, gesturing for the other Romulan to take a seat on the couch opposite the one she was currently sitting on.  It was a fairly safe bet that Safefta wouldn't sit next to her.  She leaned forward to take hold of the bottle sitting on the coffee table, picking it up and looking at the label for a moment before she sighed and, ignoring the two glasses she had set out, simply handed the whole bottle to Safefta and picked up another from the floor.  This was not going to be a day in which glasses would be used to measure their alcohol intake.

Safefta's eyes had flickered to the glasses sitting on the table as she was handed a large bottle of Romulan ale. She raised a white eyebrow in surprise, both at the abandoning of the glasses as well as the beverage in her hand. She knew better than to question where she'd gotten the illegal drink- she'd had enough of it herself.

It was clear that this was to be a long night. Pardek's long fingers pulled open the bottle, and she gave the other Romulan a considering look before she lightly tipped the blue bottle up to her lips. The liquor was just as strong as she'd remembered- but she didn't cough.

she decided to be the one to initiate conversation. "I suppose it is not customary to drink without toasting... but forgive me if I have no desire to employ such a custom."

"I also believe asking the question 'are you okay' would be pointless. I can take the current social cues as an indicator that the answer is no. Am I in error?" she asked blankly.

Safefta Pardek wrote:

Safefta's eyes had flickered to the glasses sitting on the table as she was handed a large bottle of Romulan ale. She raised a white eyebrow in surprise, both at the abandoning of the glasses as well as the beverage in her hand. She knew better than to question where she'd gotten the illegal drink- she'd had enough of it herself.

It was clear that this was to be a long night. Pardek's long fingers pulled open the bottle, and she gave the other Romulan a considering look before she lightly tipped the blue bottle up to her lips. The liquor was just as strong as she'd remembered- but she didn't cough.

she decided to be the one to initiate conversation. "I suppose it is not customary to drink without toasting... but forgive me if I have no desire to employ such a custom."

"I also believe asking the question 'are you okay' would be pointless. I can take the current social cues as an indicator that the answer is no. Am I in error?" she asked blankly.

Following Safefta's lead, Archangel pulled the stop from the bottle and raised it to her lips, taking a large gulp. The liquid felt cool as it rolled over her tongue but burned the back of her throat. She didn't cringe or cough though. As unaccustomed as she was to drinking as she was, Romulan Ale was the only one she ever really partook of.

She leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees and looking down at the functional grey carpet covering the deckplates. "You'd be right, Safefta. I'm not ok, but, considering the fact that you've taken to that ale like a baby to its bottle, I'm going to guess you're not either."

Archangel T'Koris wrote:

Following Safefta's lead, Archangel pulled the stop from the bottle and raised it to her lips, taking a large gulp.  The liquid felt cool as it rolled over her tongue but burned the back of her throat.  She didn't cringe or cough though.  As unaccustomed as she was to drinking as she was, Romulan Ale was the only one she ever really partook of.

She leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees and looking down at the functional grey carpet covering the deckplates.  "You'd be right, Safefta.  I'm not ok, but, considering the fact that you've taken to that ale like a baby to its bottle, I'm going to guess you're not either."

Pardek considered Archangel over the top of the bottle as she took another generous sip. The captain's comment amused her... although she didn't understand it. She was not a baby. still, enough context clues made enough sense, she figured.

"Ah, well... I am never quite OK, if that is what you mean." Safefta truly wasn't. The light buzz of the alcohol was going to loosen her tone further, she was sure.

Safefta Pardek wrote:

Pardek considered Archangel over the top of the bottle as she took another generous sip. The captain's comment amused her... although she didn't understand it. She was not a baby. still, enough context clues made enough sense, she figured.

"Ah, well... I am never quite OK, if that is what you mean." Safefta truly wasn't. The light buzz of the alcohol was going to loosen her tone further, she was sure.

Another couple of mouthfuls of ale passed Archangel's lips. The combination of it and an empty stomach was leading to a sensation not unlike having one's head packed with insubstantial clouds. It wasn't entirely pleasant, but it was certainly better than the feeling of utter defeat that had occupied it previously.

"Yeah... I'm starting to understand that feeling," she replied with a quiet hiccup. "Where did we go wrong? Why are we the galaxy's doormat?"

Archangel T'Koris wrote:

Another couple of mouthfuls of ale passed Archangel's lips.  The combination of it and an empty stomach was leading to a sensation not unlike having one's head packed with insubstantial clouds.  It wasn't entirely pleasant, but it was certainly better than the feeling of utter defeat that had occupied it previously.

"Yeah... I'm starting to understand that feeling," she replied with a quiet hiccup.  "Where did we go wrong?  Why are we the galaxy's doormat?"

Not for the first time in her left, Safefta had no answer to give. She didn't know too much of Archangel's life outside of her work... but she did know that the world had not treated them fairly. "I am not one... to believe in a predisposition towards unfortunate predicaments... but I do not believe that either of us are meant to live happily."

Such it seemed, anyway. Safefta took another melancholy sip. "I believe I went wrong the moment I was born, if you wish to go back that far."

Safefta Pardek wrote:

Not for the first time in her left, Safefta had no answer to give. She didn't know too much of Archangel's life outside of her work... but she did know that the world had not treated them fairly. "I am not one... to believe in a predisposition towards unfortunate predicaments... but I do not believe that either of us are meant to live happily."

Such it seemed, anyway. Safefta took another melancholy sip. "I believe I went wrong the moment I was born, if you wish to go back that far."

When Archangel lifted her bottle to take another sip, she was surprised to find it already with nearly a third of its contents missing. She hadn't thought that she had drunk that much in a space of minutes, but apparently so. Tomorrow was going to be a rough day, that was for sure. Perhaps even the day after that.

"The moment you were born," she repeated thoughtfully. "That sounds about right for me too." She gave another quiet hiccup. "That's what Revek told me anyway."

Archangel T'Koris wrote:

When Archangel lifted her bottle to take another sip, she was surprised to find it already with nearly a third of its contents missing.  She hadn't thought that she had drunk that much in a space of minutes, but apparently so.  Tomorrow was going to be a rough day, that was for sure.  Perhaps even the day after that.

"The moment you were born," she repeated thoughtfully.  "That sounds about right for me too."  She gave another quiet hiccup.  "That's what Revek told me anyway."

Revek? The name was intensely familiar... but what did the Cardassian starfleet officer have to do with Archangel? Safefta was just curious enough to wonder, and just drunk enough to ask. "And what business of his is what you were born into or not?" she queried.

I am not certain that I want to know the answer to that question. The Romulan fell silent and resumed paying more attention to her bottle than coming up with more words to say.

Safefta Pardek wrote:

Revek? The name was intensely familiar... but what did the Cardassian starfleet officer have to do with Archangel? Safefta was just curious enough to wonder, and just drunk enough to ask. "And what business of his is what you were born into or not?" she queried.

I am not certain that I want to know the answer to that question. The Romulan fell silent and resumed paying more attention to her bottle than coming up with more words to say.

Under normal circumstances, Archangel would have shied away from such a question, just as she had vehemently denied the fact when he had told her during her induction. These weren't normal circumstances though. She was a good way into a bottle of Romulan Ale on an empty stomach and she didn't normally imbibe. Her common sense had already waved a little white flag.

"The intelligence services," she replied. "He said that they had been watching me since birth because of my father, just in case I became useful to them." She took another gulp of the blue liquid in her bottle before blinking at Safefta. "How did your life become screwed up?"

Archangel T'Koris wrote:

Under normal circumstances, Archangel would have shied away from such a question, just as she had vehemently denied the fact when he had told her during her induction.  These weren't normal circumstances though.  She was a good way into a bottle of Romulan Ale on an empty stomach and she didn't normally imbibe.  Her common sense had already waved a little white flag.

"The intelligence services," she replied.  "He said that they had been watching me since birth because of my father, just in case I became useful to them."  She took another gulp of the blue liquid in her bottle before blinking at Safefta.  "How did your life become screwed up?"

Intelligence services. Safefta's eyes narrowed, mostly in confusion. She knew something of the shady dealings that went on behind the scenes... but not enough to make a judgement- and not enough to determined whether she believed Archangel or not. "Watched since before you were born," she parroted flatly. "I assume... that would account for many bizarre occourances around you, captain."

When Archangel turned the question back on her, Safefta's first instinct was to deflect. She wasn't that drunk yet... although by the way the blue liquid was disappearing, that wouldn't hold out for long.

"Screwed up? To which facet of my life are you referring? My appearence, my existance, my service in starfleet, or otherwise? Each has it own story." Not necessarily one I wish to share... but enough ale might loosen my tongue before I know it, she thought to herself as she tilted the bottle up once more.

Safefta Pardek wrote:

Intelligence services. Safefta's eyes narrowed, mostly in confusion. She knew something of the shady dealings that went on behind the scenes... but not enough to make a judgement- and not enough to determined whether she believed Archangel or not. "Watched since before you were born," she parroted flatly. "I assume... that would account for many bizarre occourances around you, captain."

When Archangel turned the question back on her, Safefta's first instinct was to deflect. She wasn't that drunk yet... although by the way the blue liquid was disappearing, that wouldn't hold out for long.

"Screwed up? To which facet of my life are you referring? My appearence, my existance, my service in starfleet, or otherwise? Each has it own story." Not necessarily one I wish to share... but enough ale might loosen my tongue before I know it, she thought to herself as she tilted the bottle up once more.

"Bizarre occurrences," Archangel repeated thoughtfully. Like occasionally disappearing only to reappear in sickbay with unexplained injuries, or Gabriel's overprotectiveness? "Yes, it probably would."

Had she been sober, she might have noticed Safefta's hesitation in answering her question, but she wasn't sober, and didn't notice. "Sounds like you've got a better story than me," she commented. "Or rather, a more screwed up story."

Archangel T'Koris wrote:

"Bizarre occurrences," Archangel repeated thoughtfully.  Like occasionally disappearing only to reappear in sickbay with unexplained injuries, or Gabriel's overprotectiveness?  "Yes, it probably would."

Had she been sober, she might have noticed Safefta's hesitation in answering her question, but she wasn't sober, and didn't notice.  "Sounds like you've got a better story than me," she commented.  "Or rather, a more screwed up story."

Pardek just silently stared at the lowering level of romulan ale in her bottle. She felt at though she'd just learned a great secret- and to be fair, she probably had. She just didn't know what to do with it. The fuzzy, heavy feeling she was getting in her heard didn't help, either.

"You might say that. I suppose that is the reason I am here, and not a centurion on a warbird in the Imperial fleet," she said plainly. "No... that Tal'Shiar took that away." The silence that followed that statement was deafening.

Safefta Pardek wrote:

Pardek just silently stared at the lowering level of romulan ale in her bottle. She felt at though she'd just learned a great secret- and to be fair, she probably had. She just didn't know what to do with it. The fuzzy, heavy feeling she was getting in her heard didn't help, either.

"You might say that. I suppose that is the reason I am here, and not a centurion on a warbird in the Imperial fleet," she said plainly. "No... that Tal'Shiar took that away." The silence that followed that statement was deafening.

Ah. The Tal Shiar.

Archangel had had encounters with them before, but she had always had the protection that her marriage to the Praetor afforded. They couldn't let it be seen that she was hurt by a government that was supposed to look after its people, and no Tal Shiar agent that valued his career and life would do something to the Praetor's wife that couldn't be reversed.

Taking a moment to observe the scars that decorated her friend's skin, even though the alcohol was starting to blur her vision, she felt a surge of protectiveness for the other Romulan.

"That... that would probably account for a lot of things," she said softly.

Archangel T'Koris wrote:

Ah.  The Tal Shiar.

Archangel had had encounters with them before, but she had always had the protection that her marriage to the Praetor afforded.  They couldn't let it be seen that she was hurt by a government that was supposed to look after its people, and no Tal Shiar agent that valued his career and life would do something to the Praetor's wife that couldn't be reversed.

Taking a moment to observe the scars that decorated her friend's skin, even though the alcohol was starting to blur her vision, she felt a surge of protectiveness for the other Romulan.

"That... that would probably account for a lot of things," she said softly.

Account for a lot of things. For a moment, Safefta's mind did nothing but echos those words over and over. She didn't feel they did it justice. Her voice had the slightest quaver to it when she spoke again. "I was... I had a promising career in front of me. Despite... my tainted blood, because of my family's status I was capable of attending the academies. Near top in my class."

There was more than just the status of her family. There was blood on her hands- steeped in Romulan tradition, yes... but blood nonetheless. Pardek cringed.

"I was sixteen years old."

Safefta Pardek wrote:

Account for a lot of things. For a moment, Safefta's mind did nothing but echos those words over and over. She didn't feel they did it justice. Her voice had the slightest quaver to it when she spoke again. "I was... I had a promising career in front of me. Despite... my tainted blood, because of my family's status I was capable of attending the academies. Near top in my class."

There was more than just the status of her family. There was blood on her hands- steeped in Romulan tradition, yes... but blood  nonetheless. Pardek cringed.

"I was sixteen years old."

Yes, the curse of the half-Romulan. Revered as trophies of Romulan superiority and dominance over other species, yet shunned for their hybrid blood and impure line. At least Archangel had had the good fortune to have been raised on a Federation starbase, away from the Empire, ashamed mother or not.

There didn't seem to be a lot she could say to that statement. The silence stretched on for a few moments before she replied, in a timid tone of voice: "You still have a promising career in front of you."

Archangel T'Koris wrote:

Yes, the curse of the half-Romulan.  Revered as trophies of Romulan superiority and dominance over other species, yet shunned for their hybrid blood and impure line.  At least Archangel had had the good fortune to have been raised on a Federation starbase, away from the Empire, ashamed mother or not.

There didn't seem to be a lot she could say to that statement.  The silence stretched on for a few moments before she replied, in a timid tone of voice:  "You still have a promising career in front of you."

Safefta's jaw tightened and she shut her eyes. Archangel wasn't wrong- she did have a career in starfleet. She had since she was eighteen- and she was in her thirties now. One of the things that was disturbing her was how open she was being. How much had she drunk? The Romulan opened her eye to look. Not enough. Without another word, she drained what was left until only a small amount remained.

"It," she said after she coughed heavily a few times, "Is not the career I wanted. It never was. After all I worked for, the blood I shed to get there.." the last part wasn't something she'd meant to add. She quickly moved forward. "To go from a promising student to the cause of your family's demise and being reduced to this..." she gestured to herself vaguely, then buried her face in her free hand.

Safefta Pardek wrote:

Safefta's jaw tightened and she shut her eyes. Archangel wasn't wrong- she did have a career in starfleet. She had since she was eighteen- and she was in her thirties now. One of the things that was disturbing her was how open she was being. How much had she drunk? The Romulan opened her eye to look. Not enough. Without another word, she drained what was left until only a small amount remained.

"It," she said after she coughed heavily a few times, "Is not the career I wanted. It never was. After all I worked for, the blood I shed to get there.." the last part wasn't something she'd meant to add. She quickly moved forward. "To go from a promising student to the cause of your family's demise and being reduced to this..." she gestured to herself vaguely, then buried her face in her free hand.

As much as she wanted to go and give her friend a hug, Archangel was well aware that such a gesture would not be well received by Safefta. Instead, she hiccupped and tried to think of something to say.

"I... I guess neither of us got the careers we wanted," she murmured before taking another gulp. "Both of us going from high to low."

Archangel T'Koris wrote:

As much as she wanted to go and give her friend a hug, Archangel was well aware that such a gesture would not be well received by Safefta.  Instead, she hiccupped and tried to think of something to say.

"I... I guess neither of us got the careers we wanted," she murmured before taking another gulp.  "Both of us going from high to low."

"A veritable barrel roll down a mountain," Pardek hissed under her breath. "Who knows. Had things gone otherwise, we might have met as opposing forces across the neutral zone." She fell silent for a moment.

I should not ask, but at this point I do not care.

"I do not suppose I could coerce you into divulging more about your intelligence career," the other Romulan prompted softly. With her shady relationship with the Tal'Shiar standing as it was, Safefta wanted to know whether or not her friend was someone she was now going to have to fear.

Safefta Pardek wrote:

"A veritable barrel roll down a mountain," Pardek hissed under her breath. "Who knows. Had things gone otherwise, we might have met as opposing forces across the neutral zone." She fell silent for a moment.

I should not ask, but at this point I do not care.

"I do not suppose I could coerce you into divulging more about your intelligence career," the other Romulan prompted softly. With her shady relationship with the Tal'Shiar standing as it was, Safefta wanted to know whether or not her friend was someone she was now going to have to fear.

"That would have been a sad day," Archangel replied in a melancholy tone of voice, referring to the possibility that they might have been on opposite sides of a cold war.

The question about her intelligence career threw her slightly, but she supposed that she shouldn't really have been surprised given their current conversation. She swallowed the last mouthful of Ale that had been sitting at the bottom of her bottle and, glancing at the low level in Safefta's, reached behind the couch where she had stashed several more bottled of the not-quite-legal beverage. She set one on the coffee table close to her friend and opened another for herself.

"After the political marriage I went through, I was scared for Seika. I thought she might be in danger," she paused for a moment, gauging just how much she could tell the Romulan in front of her, but the Ale clouding her mind told her to stop thinking like a captain for once and rely on her best friend. "Revek offered better protection for her if I joined Section 31." She gave a soft hiccup. "That was the worst decision I have ever made."

Archangel T'Koris wrote:

"That would have been a sad day," Archangel replied in a melancholy tone of voice, referring to the possibility that they might have been on opposite sides of a cold war.

The question about her intelligence career threw her slightly, but she supposed that she shouldn't really have been surprised given their current conversation.  She swallowed the last mouthful of Ale that had been sitting at the bottom of her bottle and, glancing at the low level in Safefta's, reached behind the couch where she had stashed several more bottled of the not-quite-legal beverage.  She set one on the coffee table close to her friend and opened another for herself.

"After the political marriage I went through, I was scared for Seika.  I thought she might be in danger," she paused for a moment, gauging just how much she could tell the Romulan in front of her, but the Ale clouding her mind told her to stop thinking like a captain for once and rely on her best friend.  "Revek offered better protection for her if I joined Section 31."  She gave a soft hiccup.  "That was the worst decision I have ever made."

"Political marriage? You refer to your union with commander Arthur, or no?"

Safefta asked her question just as she was reaching for the second bottle. She hadn't intended to get this drunk, but there wasn't much stopping her anymore.

Archangel's devotion to her daughter was admirable, if ultimately dangerous. Safefta had no children and couldn't relate... but she did know what doing something "good" only to have to backfire felt like. She remembered bitterly how badly things had gone within the walls of the Tal'Shiar's interrogation rooms.

"Section Thirty-One was said not to exist. Do they have a penchant for taking officers of unusual backgrounds and races? Revek is a Cardassian. You are Romulan. Neither of those are stereotypicaly Federation-friendly species."

Safefta Pardek wrote:

"Political marriage? You refer to your union with commander Arthur, or no?"

Safefta asked her question just as she was reaching for the second bottle. She hadn't intended to get this drunk, but there wasn't much stopping her anymore.

Archangel's devotion to her daughter was admirable, if ultimately dangerous. Safefta had no children and couldn't relate... but she did know what doing something "good" only to have to backfire felt like. She remembered bitterly how badly things had gone within the walls of the Tal'Shiar's interrogation rooms.

"Section Thirty-One was said not to exist. Do they have a penchant for taking officers of unusual backgrounds and races? Revek is a Cardassian. You are Romulan. Neither of those are stereotypicaly Federation-friendly species."

The mention of Commander Arthur immediately brought a pained expression to Archangel's face, but she quickly removed in favour of a look of near disgust.

"My marriage to Commander Arthur was, thankfully, one of love. No, through various machinations and a probably misplaced sense of duty during a mission to Romulus with the Discovery, I was, and unfortunately continue to be, married to the Praetor." She closed her eyes, shuddering slightly at the memory.

Moving the conversation on to Section 31 was almost a better subject to get in to. Almost.

She snorted derisively, the Ale lending her more courage than she generally felt about the clandestine intelligence division.

"It exists. They're just very good at hiding their tracks," she grumbled. "Revek had... skills they thought useful, and my Romulan lineage was of particular interest. That interest just happened to be compounded when I turned out to be a competent engineer."

Archangel T'Koris wrote:

The mention of Commander Arthur immediately brought a pained expression to Archangel's face, but she quickly removed in favour of a look of near disgust.

"My marriage to Commander Arthur was, thankfully, one of love.  No, through various machinations and a probably misplaced sense of duty during a mission to Romulus with the Discovery, I was, and unfortunately continue to be, married to the Praetor."  She closed her eyes, shuddering slightly at the memory.

Moving the conversation on to Section 31 was almost a better subject to get in to.  Almost.  

She snorted derisively, the Ale lending her more courage than she generally felt about the clandestine intelligence division.

"It exists.  They're just very good at hiding their tracks," she grumbled.  "Revek had... skills they thought useful, and my Romulan lineage was of particular interest.  That interest just happened to be compounded when I turned out to be a competent engineer."

Safefta's bleary eyes went wide, simultaneously out of fear and bewilderment. The Praetor? Just the thought of the head of the Romulan Empire being married to T'Koris made Pardek visibly shudder. "I am thus in the presence of Romulan political royalty," she said haltingly. There really wasn't much of a way to react to that. Safefta didn't realize it now, but she was absorbing a dangerous amount of information for someone in her position.

Section 31, at least, made the bile rise a little less in her throat.

"That sounds similar to my existence in starfleet," she said blankly. Though her presence was shrouded in a different sort of mystery, it was blatantly true that Safefta's Federation citizenship was only permitted under her service in starfleet and without that she would have nowhere to go.

"To an extent, I suppose your position in section 31 has served its purpose. Your children are alive and well."

Safefta Pardek wrote:

Safefta's bleary eyes went wide, simultaneously out of fear and bewilderment. The Praetor? Just the thought of the head of the Romulan Empire being married to T'Koris made Pardek visibly shudder. "I am thus in the presence of Romulan political royalty," she said haltingly. There really wasn't much of a way to react to that. Safefta didn't realize it now, but she was absorbing a dangerous amount of information for someone in her position.

Section 31, at least, made the bile rise a little less in her throat.

"That sounds similar to my existence in starfleet," she said blankly. Though her presence was shrouded in a different sort of mystery, it was blatantly true that Safefta's Federation citizenship was only permitted under her service in starfleet and without that she would have nowhere to go.

"To an extent, I suppose your position in section 31 has served its purpose. Your children are alive and well."

Had she still been sober, Archangel would have flinched along with Safefta and cursed herself for bringing up information that was likely to distress her friend in any way, but she was too far gone into drunkenness to be able to stop now.

"Political royalty, my dhaeg," she muttered under her breath, more to herself than to her friend. At the mention of her children, she gave another sad little hiccup. "And yet they wouldn't hesitate to hurt them if I did anything wrong. They're only interested in using their operatives. We're dispensable, power packs in a phaser to be swapped out when we're too run down to be of use." She hiccuped again, looking at the steadily dropping level of liquid in her bottle. She was going to be quite severely ill the next morning, she was already very sure of that fact. Looking back up at Safefta, she asked: "Have you ever had something in your life where you knew that you'd do anything to keep it safe?"