Skeletons Galore [Saf/Arch]

Archangel T'Koris wrote:

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?"

The scarred Romulan flinched when Archangel cursed. "Sorry, I didn' mean to offend you," she slurred slightly, then caught herself. "That was not my intention."

Silence fell as she listened to T'Koris speak again. There was a bubble of anger rising in the Romulan, but she knew there was nothing she could do with it.

Safefta was well familiar with the feeling of being used as nothing more than an object, or an experimental subject. Now, whether or not Archangel knew what it was like to be a test subject for modified Romulan mind probes was up for debate... but Safefta very much understood what she meant... on that front, anyway.

On the other, not so much. "No. I have not had anything to care for since I betrayed my parents and let them die," she said bluntly. "No one cares for me in such a way, and my feeling is that it prevents my own destruction."

Safefta Pardek wrote:

The scarred Romulan flinched when Archangel cursed. "Sorry, I didn' mean to offend you," she slurred slightly, then caught herself. "That was not my intention."

Silence fell as she listened to T'Koris speak again. There was a bubble of anger rising in the Romulan, but she knew there was nothing she could do with it.

Safefta was well familiar with the feeling of being used as nothing more than an object, or an experimental subject. Now, whether or not Archangel knew what it was like to be a test subject for modified Romulan mind probes was up for debate... but Safefta very much understood what she meant... on that front, anyway.

On the other, not so much. "No. I have not had anything to care for since I betrayed my parents and let them die," she said bluntly. "No one cares for me in such a way, and my feeling is that it prevents my own destruction."

Archangel opened her mouth to say something, but it was quickly closed again as she realised that there was nothing that she really could say to that beyond:

"Oh."

Silence stretched on for a few moments as Archangel tried to force her mind into some semblance of order so that she could think of something more to say to that. She may have terrible relationships with her own parents, but she wasn't sure she would wish them to die of unnatural causes.

"I... I'm sorry, Safefta."

Archangel T'Koris wrote:

Archangel opened her mouth to say something, but it was quickly closed again as she realised that there was nothing that she really could say to that beyond:

"Oh."

Silence stretched on for a few moments as Archangel tried to force her mind into some semblance of order so that she could think of something more to say to that.  She may have terrible relationships with her own parents, but she wasn't sure she would wish them to die of unnatural causes.

"I... I'm sorry, Safefta."

Safefta rarely cried. Her stoic demeanor and a Vulcan's biology build on water conservation had ensured that for most of her life. Even that seemed to be failing her now, however. The Romulan could feel them stinging her eyes painfully before they finally spilled over her scarred cheeks.

Archangel's words didn't have the intended consoling effect. Instead, Safefta's moment of sorry turned into a bitter anger fueled by the ale in her system and the heavy subject manner.

Pardek's face hardened, and words sharp like a viper's tongue snapped back. "I do not need your pity."

Almost immediately after that short outburst, the drunk hybrid dropped her face in her hands. She'd turned to yelling at her friend. What has come over me?

Safefta Pardek wrote:

Safefta rarely cried. Her stoic demeanor and a Vulcan's biology build on water conservation had ensured that for most of her life. Even that seemed to be failing her now, however. The Romulan could feel them stinging her eyes painfully before they finally spilled over her scarred cheeks.

Archangel's words didn't have the intended consoling effect. Instead, Safefta's moment of sorry turned into a bitter anger fueled by the ale in her system and the heavy subject manner.

Pardek's face hardened, and words sharp like a viper's tongue snapped back. "I do not need your pity."

Almost immediately after that short outburst, the drunk hybrid dropped her face in her hands. She'd turned to yelling at her friend. What has come over me?

"And you don't have it!" Archangel snapped back. The outburst from her friend had taken her by surprise, but she was too far gone into her bottle to do anything other than retaliate in kind. The muscles in her jaw clenched as she tried to say more, but there was still an element of her mind engaged in self-preservation. She set her bottle down, knowing that if she didn't she would drop it.

Here they were, two drunk Romulan hybrids, both scarred for life and stuck in paths that they would never be able to shake.

Archangel leaned against the back of the couch with a heavy sigh as she rubbed her brow ridges, willing herself not to cry.

Archangel T'Koris wrote:

"And you don't have it!" Archangel snapped back.  The outburst from her friend had taken her by surprise, but she was too far gone into her bottle to do anything other than retaliate in kind.  The muscles in her jaw clenched as she tried to say more, but there was still an element of her mind engaged in self-preservation.  She set her bottle down, knowing that if she didn't she would drop it.

Here they were, two drunk Romulan hybrids, both scarred for life and stuck in paths that they would never be able to shake.

Archangel leaned against the back of the couch with a heavy sigh as she rubbed her brow ridges, willing herself not to cry.

Archangel spitting her own words back in her face didn't spur Safefta to further anger. She just felt defeated. She didn't want Archangel's pity- or anyone elses, and Archangel has just confirmed that she didn't have it. There was no more arguing to do, and no more yelling needed.

Pardek lifted her head up from her hands. Her green-rimmed eyes stared at the opposite wall for several seconds before she rolled her head to face T'Koris.

For several seconds, there was more silence.

"There is no hope for us." It wasn't a question. It was a statement.

Safefta Pardek wrote:

Archangel spitting her own words back in her face didn't spur Safefta to further anger. She just felt defeated. She didn't want Archangel's pity- or anyone elses, and Archangel has just confirmed that she didn't have it. There was no more arguing to do, and no more yelling needed.

Pardek lifted her head up from her hands. Her green-rimmed eyes stared at the opposite wall for several seconds before she rolled her head to face T'Koris.

For several seconds, there was more silence.

"There is no hope for us." It wasn't a question. It was a statement.

The silence seemed to stretch out for quite a while, a while that Archangel spent staring into her bottle and wondering where most of the liquid it had contained had gone. She seemed to be getting through quite a bit of it this evening. It wasn't just the next day that was going to be rough, that was for sure. At this rate, she seemed to be looking at at least three days' worth of hangover.

She looked up again at the quiet sound of Safefta's voice, then looked back down again. "No, I don't think there is." There was another few moment's silence before the captain spoke in a very small voice. "Safefta... I need to ask you a favour..."

Archangel T'Koris wrote:

The silence seemed to stretch out for quite a while, a while that Archangel spent staring into her bottle and wondering where most of the liquid it had contained had gone.  She seemed to be getting through quite a bit of it this evening.  It wasn't just the next day that was going to be rough, that was for sure.  At this rate, she seemed to be looking at at least three days' worth of hangover.

She looked up again at the quiet sound of Safefta's voice, then looked back down again.  "No, I don't think there is."  There was another few moment's silence before the captain spoke in a very small voice.  "Safefta... I need to ask you a favour..."

Safefta's head was swimming. The amount she'd drunk was quickly catching up to her and nothing she wanted to do would stop it. She's rubbed her face a total of twelve times without realizing she was doing it. No more of the ale. You need to function tomorrow.

Arch wanted a favour?

Anyone else would have found the sudden switch from yelling to favours to be humorous. Safefta felt nothing of the kind.

If only her head would right itself. The foggy-headedness wasn't pleasant.

"What do you require of me?"

I suggest you ask before I become incoherent.

Safefta Pardek wrote:

Safefta's head was swimming. The amount she'd drunk was quickly catching up to her and nothing she wanted to do would stop it. She's rubbed her face a total of twelve times without realizing she was doing it. No more of the ale. You need to function tomorrow.

Arch wanted a favour?

Anyone else would have found the sudden switch from yelling to favours to be humorous. Safefta felt nothing of the kind.

If only her head would right itself. The foggy-headedness wasn't pleasant.

"What do you require of me?"

I suggest you ask before I become incoherent.

Archangel fidgeted with the bottle in her hands for a moment, trying to find the best way to phrase what she wanted to ask of her friend. After hearing how Safefta had been treated on their homeworld, she was coming to regret what she wanted to ask, but she couldn't think of anyone else to ask.

"Safefta... I need to return to Romulus soon. I have to go back periodically, or whenever Alidar calls me back..." She took a deep breath and blurted out: "I don't want to go back alone. I wanted to ask if you'd come with me."

Archangel T'Koris wrote:

Archangel fidgeted with the bottle in her hands for a moment, trying to find the best way to phrase what she wanted to ask of her friend.  After hearing how Safefta had been treated on their homeworld, she was coming to regret what she wanted to ask, but she couldn't think of anyone else to ask.

"Safefta... I need to return to Romulus soon.  I have to go back periodically, or whenever Alidar calls me back..."  She took a deep breath and blurted out: "I don't want to go back alone.  I wanted to ask if you'd come with me."

Pardek squeaked.

Romulus? Her? How could she manage...

The young Romulan stammered some incoherent noises as she tried to think over what she'd been asked. Of course Archangel wouldn't want to go alone... but what excuse could there be for Safefta's presence? How could she ensure her own safety?

Safefta's deer-in-headlights expression didn't falter one bit as she haltingly asked: "How could I go without risking capture?" As much as she would like to be concerned about the comfort of her friend, the fear of being returned to the tal'shiar was almost enough to make her want to climb the walls.

Safefta Pardek wrote:

Pardek squeaked.

Romulus? Her? How could she manage...

The young Romulan stammered some incoherent noises as she tried to think over what she'd been asked. Of course Archangel wouldn't want to go alone... but what excuse could there be for Safefta's presence? How could she ensure her own safety?

Safefta's deer-in-headlights expression didn't falter one bit as she haltingly asked: "How could I go without risking capture?" As much as she would like to be concerned about the comfort of her friend, the fear of being returned to the tal'shiar was almost enough to make her want to climb the walls.

The Romulan captain flinched away as she heard the squeak coming from her friend. This was a bad idea. A very bad idea. A very bad idea in a long line of bad ideas.

"My position would protect you somewhat, and I'm sure we could find some role for you that would protect you further," she said before adding quietly: "I'm sorry, Safefta. I shouldn't have asked you."

Archangel T'Koris wrote:

The Romulan captain flinched away as she heard the squeak coming from her friend.  This was a bad idea.  A very bad idea.  A very bad idea in a long line of bad ideas.  

"My position would protect you somewhat, and I'm sure we could find some role for you that would protect you further," she said before adding quietly: "I'm sorry, Safefta.  I shouldn't have asked you."

Safefta laced her shaking hands together and pressed them to her lips. Her eyes screwed shut as she attempted to force herself to reason through this request instead of fainting out of fear. Elements, you should not do this. You will get yourself killed.

There was a part of her brain that spoke with much more loyalty to T'Koris.

"How many times do you owe Archangel your life? You owe her this."

I will be captured. The Tal'Shiar will torture me and they will finish the job this time. Even if that did not happen... there are far too many terrible things that could happen to me.

"Your loyalty must prevail. She requires your help. You cannot leave her to face this alone. A Romulan with no loyalty to duty is none at all."

As though come over by a driving force, the white-haired woman stood up and with wobbling steps made her way over to where Archangel was sitting. She could barely remain upright, but the Romulan had formed a kind of resolve to be steady not only in standing but int he words she was about to say.

"I will follow you to Romulus. P-perhaps it... is good to face this," she said, and then gave a polite and submissive nod of her head. Her fists were clenched, but her face was calm. Whatever she had to do, she would to it to prove to herself that she could.

Safefta Pardek wrote:

Safefta laced her shaking hands together and pressed them to her lips. Her eyes screwed shut as she attempted to force herself to reason through this request instead of fainting out of fear. Elements, you should not do this. You will get yourself killed.

There was a part of her brain that spoke with much more loyalty to T'Koris.

"How many times do you owe Archangel your life? You owe her this."

I will be captured. The Tal'Shiar will torture me and they will finish the job this time. Even if that did not happen... there are far too many terrible things that could happen to me.

"Your loyalty must prevail. She requires your help. You cannot leave her to face this alone. A Romulan with no loyalty to duty is none at all."

As though come over by a driving force, the white-haired woman stood up and with wobbling steps made her way over to where Archangel was sitting. She could barely remain upright, but the Romulan had formed a kind of resolve to be steady not only in standing but int he words she was about to say.

"I will follow you to Romulus. P-perhaps it... is good to face this," she said, and then gave a polite and submissive nod of her head. Her fists were clenched, but her face was calm. Whatever she had to do, she would to it to prove to herself that she could.

Archangel would not have been able to make it to the position she now occupied if she hadn't been able to read people in order to gauge their state of mind. The fact that Safefta was uncomfortable with this, that she didn't want to do it, was as clear as the stars out of the viewport.

The young captain got, somewhat unsteadily, to her feet so that she could face her friend. She said nothing for a moment, then spoke in quiet tones. "Thank you, Safefta. I'll do everything I can to keep you safe there."

Archangel T'Koris wrote:

Archangel would not have been able to make it to the position she now occupied if she hadn't been able to read people in order to gauge their state of mind.  The fact that Safefta was uncomfortable with this, that she didn't want to do it, was as clear as the stars out of the viewport.  

The young captain got, somewhat unsteadily, to her feet so that she could face her friend.  She said nothing for a moment, then spoke in quiet tones.  "Thank you, Safefta.  I'll do everything I can to keep you safe there."

Pardek could feel herself swaying slightly where she stood. Still, she forced herself to avoid looking at the floor and to meet T'Koris's dark eyes. Well, if she'd already resigned herself to possible death, she'd might as well just toss herself into this.

Nothing would be amiss if anything went awry, anyhow. Pardek wasn't arrogant enough to think otherwise.

"It is done... I suggest... we discuss the details of this when we are not in this... state," she suggested. It was late, though she didn't think she'd be sleeping. No use discussing this when they were too drunk to keep from crying.

Safefta Pardek wrote:

Pardek could feel herself swaying slightly where she stood. Still, she forced herself to avoid looking at the floor and to meet T'Koris's dark eyes. Well, if she'd already resigned herself to possible death, she'd might as well just toss herself into this.

Nothing would be amiss if anything went awry, anyhow. Pardek wasn't arrogant enough to think otherwise.

"It is done... I suggest... we discuss the details of this when we are not in this... state," she suggested. It was late, though she didn't think she'd be sleeping. No use discussing this when they were too drunk to keep from crying.

"Good idea," Archangel replied, letting out a quiet groan and rubbing her brow ridges. Too much alcohol, not enough food, not enough sleep. Recipe for a very sorry half-Romulan indeed, and one who was more than likely to be even more sorry in the morning. "Chances are… we won't even remember what we arranged."

She looked back up at her friend, offering her a faint smile. "You can stay the night here if you like. It'd save you trying to get back to your own quarters."

Archangel T'Koris wrote:

"Good idea," Archangel replied, letting out a quiet groan and rubbing her brow ridges.  Too much alcohol, not enough food, not enough sleep.  Recipe for a very sorry half-Romulan indeed, and one who was more than likely to be even more sorry in the morning.  "Chances are… we won't even remember what we arranged."

She looked back up at her friend, offering her a faint smile.  "You can stay the night here if you like.  It'd save you trying to get back to your own quarters."

Archangel was right. Safefta was more likely to fall and pass out in the corridors than sh was to actually make it back to her quarters. Besides, coming back to them drunk would scare her roommate- Safefta wasn't a social drinker.

"Sleep... Here. Here, I can sleep. Yes, good." The Romulan was at the point of repeating herself and slurring, but she didn't even notice.

Safefta craned her head to the side. She was searching for the nearest horizontal surface to fall asleep on. Anything in Archangel's quarters would be better than some things she'd slept on, so it was no consequence to her.

"Tommorrow we.. plan and do," she muttered before awkwardly turning to shuffle off.

Safefta Pardek wrote:

Archangel was right. Safefta was more likely to fall and pass out in the corridors than sh was to actually make it back to her quarters. Besides, coming back to them drunk would scare her roommate- Safefta wasn't a social drinker.

"Sleep... Here. Here, I can sleep. Yes, good." The Romulan was at the point of repeating herself and slurring, but she didn't even notice.

Safefta craned her head to the side. She was searching for the nearest horizontal surface to fall asleep on. Anything in Archangel's quarters would be better than some things she'd slept on, so it was no consequence to her.

"Tommorrow we.. plan and do," she muttered before awkwardly turning to shuffle off.

Archangel, whose thought processes were rapidly starting to go downhill as well, braced herself on the arm of the couch as she tried to bring a sluggish idea to the surface. She knew that it was important, but it was having trouble breaking through the alcoholic fog. It finally bubbled to the top, bursting across the forefront of her mind.

"Through that door," she said, waving her hand in the general direction of a closed door. "Seika's room. She doesn't use it any more."

Archangel T'Koris wrote:

Archangel, whose thought processes were rapidly starting to go downhill as well, braced herself on the arm of the couch as she tried to bring a sluggish idea to the surface.  She knew that it was important, but it was having trouble breaking through the alcoholic fog.  It finally bubbled to the top, bursting across the forefront of her mind.

"Through that door," she said, waving her hand in the general direction of a closed door.  "Seika's room.  She doesn't use it any more."

With the new direction to take, Safefta changed her course and shambled off to the closed door. "Au'e. Jolan'tru, regghai," the Romulan muttered. English was beyond her ability to articulate at that point. She had barely made it inside the room when she collapsed spread-eagle on the bed and fell asleep.

[0700 Hours]

Safefta woke up to find herself jammed in the most uncomfortable position possible against the wall on the bed. The jack-hammer like quality of the throbbing in her head and the desert that seemed to have occupied her mouth gave very clear indication that she was very, very hungover. She cautiously opened her eyes.

Blessedly, the lighting in the room was so low that it didn't make anything worse. Cautiously, she muttered: "Computer... increase lights by 15%." A light chirp from the computer followed as it acknowledged her request. Even that small increase felt like Safefta has just ordered the sun to occupy the room.

"Fvadt!" she hissed, before forcing herself to sit up. The previous night flooded back to her in fragmented bits and pieces- enough to make her feel horrible embarrassed about how much she had told Archangel about her life. The conversation they had was going to haunt her for ages to come, she knew.

What she remembered more than that was the last thing she could recall before she blacked out- only because she'd been so upset at the premise. She knew she had to get up and go speak with Archangel. As terrified as she still was (and the rock sitting in her heart did nothing to help her nausea) there were plans to be made and that couldn't be done sitting in seperate rooms.

Standing up was like smashing on the deck of a rocking ship on the sea, but she held herself upright anyway. I will not vomit.

She shuffled like a Romulan auroto out to the living area of Archangel's quarters.

"Captain?" Safefta called weakly.

[Assuming plotting will be done in this thread and the actual event in another. =)]

[07 00 hours]

The sound of a tribble purring in her ear, loud enough under normal circumstances given Romulan hearing, sounded like someone had decided to activate heavy machinery right next to Archangel's head. She groaned quietly, pushing the ball of fur away from her as she sat up and pinched the bridge of her nose. Turning on the lights, even to a fraction of their normal level, was briefly considered and dismissed. The light of the stars through the viewport was enough for her to see by as she pulled herself out of bed. 'Flopped' would also have been an apt description. Somehow, she had managed to take off her boots and jacket the night before, but she couldn't for the life of her remember what she had done with them.

She staggered out of her room into the living quarters, heading for the replicator. Her stomach was churning already, and an enthusiastic Klingon brass band seemed to have taken up residence in her temples. She had heard that coffee was a good remedy for a night of drinking. Despite the fact that she knew that caffeine would make her ill, she was willing to try it.

"Raktajino," she grumbled into the replicator just as she heard another door in her quarters open. Looking up with a muffled expression of surprise, she dug through her fogged memories and remembered more about the events of the previous night. "Morning, Saf," she murmured, knowing that any louder would likely be intolerable for the other Romulan.

Both of Safefta's hands were occupied by rubbing her face as if to clear the groggy feeling that wouldn't go away. All the rubbing did, however, was make her headache worse. Fvadt u'hnaev. I have not had a hangover this bad for a while. Then again, she wasn't usually able to drink herself unconscious on a night before a new shift. Pardek thanked the elements that she did not have to work today.

Archangel had whispered, but it still sounded like a shout to Safefta's sensitive ears. She grimaced and drug herself further into the room. The first thing she noticed was what the other Romulan had pulled out of the replicator.

"I do not believe coffee will help. It is not known for allowing you to reap benefits of hydration," she cautioned in a low tone. A shame- Safefta loved coffee. "Water, 2 degrees centigrade," she then said to the replicator.

She then sheepishly looked at the ground. Very few things embarassed Safefta... but this situation was one of them.

"Shall we lament the over-sharing of information last night, or proceed directly to this side-assignment?" she queried softly.

Archangel looked down at the hot mug in her hand and considered what Safefta had just said. Since she considered that the other Romulan had probably had far more experience with hangovers than she had, Archangel decided to follow her example, recycling the Klingon cofee back in to the replicator and ordering a large glass of cold water.

She considered Safefta's next words, wincing slightly as she remembered just how much she had revealed. Far too much, in fact, but it was something of a reassurance that Safefta had also overindulged in the sharing of private information. Romulan ale had quite a habit of allowing such things.

"How about we skip over the over-sharing that happened last night?" she offered. "Personally, I'd really rather not go over it again."

Safefta's cool green eyes considered Archangel over the rim of her glass as she drank some of the cold water. What she remembered being told last night... she realized had likely sunk herself deep into something she wasn't prepared for. Section 31 did not take kindly to people knowing their secrets... or even of its existence. The fact that Safefta was in posession of this knowledge did nothing less than paint a bright red target on her back.

Fvadt.

Archangel looked as poorly as she felt. "Do you believe we could obtain a hypospray from sickbay to dispell some of this?" she couldn't believe she was asking for sickbay's help... but she needed to be clear-headed.

"We will... deal with our unfortunate sharing of information another time. My current concern is your trip to Romulus, and my participation in that."

Safefta Pardek wrote:

Safefta's cool green eyes considered Archangel over the rim of her glass as she drank some of the cold water. What she remembered being told last night... she realized had likely sunk herself deep into something she wasn't prepared for. Section 31 did not take kindly to people knowing their secrets... or even of its existence. The fact that Safefta was in posession of this knowledge did nothing less than paint a bright red target on her back.

Fvadt.

Archangel looked as poorly as she felt. "Do you believe we could obtain a hypospray from sickbay to dispell some of this?" she couldn't believe she was asking for sickbay's help... but she needed to be clear-headed.

"We will... deal with our unfortunate sharing of information another time. My current concern is your trip to Romulus, and my participation in that."

Wordlessly lifting up a hand to signal 'wait here a minute', Archangel dragged herself into the small bathroom in her quarters where she rummaged around the rather large first-aid kit she kept in there for post-S31 mission care. She pulled out a hypospray and two cartridges before returning to the lounge area.

She clicked the first cartridge into the hypo, injecting it into her neck. The medication inside took effect quickly, soothing the thumping in her head. She then handed the second cartridge and the hypo to Safefta. "It's a painkiller. It should help somewhat," she said as softly as she could.

Archangel T'Koris wrote:

Wordlessly lifting up a hand to signal 'wait here a minute', Archangel dragged herself into the small bathroom in her quarters where she rummaged around the rather large first-aid kit she kept in there for post-S31 mission care.  She pulled out a hypospray and two cartridges before returning to the lounge area.

She clicked the first cartridge into the hypo, injecting it into her neck.  The medication inside took effect quickly, soothing the thumping in her head.  She then handed the second cartridge and the hypo to Safefta.  "It's a painkiller.  It should help somewhat," she said as softly as she could.

Safefta visually scrutinized the hypospray out of habit, despite having seen Archangel inject herself not a moment prior. It was a precautionary measure for her. She couldn't override the fear that something could hurt her in the hypo without first looking it over. Once satisfied with it, she pressed the hypo to her own neck and sighed in relief as the painkiller flooded her system.

Everything no longer felt like she was being kicked in the head.

The young Romulan stretched her neck and let it pop once. It was still kinked up from how badly she'd slept... but she'd live. Pardek sighed and looked around the room briefly. The conversation they were about to have wasn't something they could do standing, so she took a seat.

"Where to begin?" she prompted.

Picking up her glass of water, Archangel shuffled to one of the couches, sitting down with a heavy sigh. What she really wanted at that point, despite the previous night, was another drink. She generally found it far easier to talk about her relationship with Romulus when she was a good few drinks under.

Holding the glass in both hands, she looked down into the clear liquid, trying to decide on how to phrase what Safefta needed to know before she got herself any deeper into Archangel's life on Romulus.

"My... relationship with the Praetor isn't a healthy one. Whenever I go back, he tends to take... advantage, as much as he can. Sometimes, it's information he wants from me, even if he has to have the Tal Shiar try to extract it for me. Sometimes, he tries to pressure me to provide him with an heir, but I tend to manage to avoid that. I..." She took a deep breath. "I don't want to go back to this again on my own. I... I need to have someone there, back up, if you will."

Archangel T'Koris wrote:

Picking up her glass of water, Archangel shuffled to one of the couches, sitting down with a heavy sigh.  What she really wanted at that point, despite the previous night, was another drink.  She generally found it far easier to talk about her relationship with Romulus when she was a good few drinks under.

Holding the glass in both hands, she looked down into the clear liquid, trying to decide on how to phrase what Safefta needed to know before she got herself any deeper into Archangel's life on Romulus.

"My... relationship with the Praetor isn't a healthy one.  Whenever I go back, he tends to take... advantage, as much as he can.  Sometimes, it's information he wants from me, even if he has to have the Tal Shiar try to extract it for me.  Sometimes, he tries to pressure me to provide him with an heir, but I tend to manage to avoid that.  I..."  She took a deep breath.  "I don't want to go back to this again on my own.  I... I need to have someone there, back up, if you will."

Safefta's feeling of fear was beginning to transition into anger as Archangel detailed her relationship with her political husband. Such things were not unknown on Romulus, obviously... but it didn't assuage the feeling of rage brought on by the idea of her friend being caught in the middle of it.

Unfortunately, her going along to help was doing much more than just painting a target on her back at this point... it was putting a weapon in the enemy's hands and nearly an invitation for the same to happen to her. Though Safefta had often considered the life of a bond-slave on Romulus over her current position in Starfleet, she didn't actually intend to immerse herself with that culture or the aggressive advantages taken y Romulans.

"I see. I will do my best to prevent him from bringing too much harm upon you," she promised. There wasn't much else to do to get away from it, so here she was.