[DSX-CR] Dr Saveron and LtCmdr DeVeau: Reuinion - Part 1 (Backsim)

[Amanda Nordstrom]

OOC: Backsimme due to life getting in the way!

((Cardassian Restaurant, Deep Space Ten))

::It had been a long and busy day, full of forms, organising and reporting. It was eminently agreeable to be back aboard the Invicta, but one particular aspect of that return he yet held in anticipation. He would have Alora’s company again.::

::Wearing a long, charcoal-grey robe embroidered with angular Vulcan runes, the lanky Vulcan could almost have been mistaken for one of the staff, save that he was sitting at a table by the window instead of wandering between them. The star-scape visible over the bulk of the nearest gantry held his attention for the moment.::

::Several months had passed since Saveron had been called to work with the Romulan refugees.  Although he had been on other short term missions in the past, this one was particularly annoying due to the fact that their relationship had taken a different turn than the previous time he had gone.  Fortunately, unlike prior, the amount of time had been far shorter, but Alora was still extremely happy to know that he was coming back.  Generally, she dressed casually, but felt that this called for something a little nicer than usual.  A sundress of spring green had been chosen for the occasion, a fitted bodice flaring into into a wide skirt which stopped mid calf.  She’d even deigned to wear heels, white ones of a shiny material which clicked in an oddly satisfying way with every step she took.::

:: As Alora entered, her eyes immediately searched the room, then fell across the familiar form of a particular Vulcan.::

::Movement caught out of the corner of his eye drew his gaze and Saveron rose to his feet as he recognised the very woman he’d been waiting for. She was a welcome sight, and he could not fail to notice that she’d taken a certain care with her appearance. When he spoke there were harmonics in his voice that were more than his colleagues heard.::

Saveron: Alora. It is agreeable to have your company again.

::In a rare gesture for the Vulcan, he held out a hand to grasp her fingers for a moment, which she immediately accepted, pleasure rippling as their minds touched.  How she had missed both the physical and mental presence!::

DeVeau: I missed you too, Sav.

::Had they been in private, she probably would have kissed him, but she doubted that would have been received quite so well in public, so she valiantly refrained. But whilst he did not indulge in excessive gestures of familiarity, his own thoughts made clear that which he could not express in words.::

DeVeau: And Saavok.  It’s good to have you two back.

Saveron: It is agreeable to be back; Saavok also thinks so, though I believe he found the Romulan colony educational.

::Releasing her hand, he indicated their table and settled himself into his chair. A waiter in a severe outfit brought them an artistically crafted glass jug full of water and two PADDs with the menu on them.::

::Given that they were on Deep Space Ten, the Federation-Cardassian joint partnership station, it made sense to take advantage of the Cardassian food. Saveron found spicy food agreeable and Alora’s suggestion had been eminently logical.::

Saveron: Have you eaten here previously??

DeVeau:  Several times.  Raissa introduced it to me, and they make things nice and spicy.

::Which suited her just fine - she could take it.  She enjoyed spicy.  Alora settled in the seat opposite of the Vulcan and peered over the menu.::

DeVeau: So where is Saavok?  Galavanting about, spending time with his friends?

::Somehow the Vulcan couldn’t see his son ‘gallivanting’.::

Saveron: He is appreciative of the opportunity to reunite with his friends. ::He allowed.:: He is currently in our quarters.

::That was the factual answer, which was far easier for him to articulate than the preference that they meet without distractions.::

DeVeau: I hope the Romulans were appreciative of you.  I dare say, though, it sounds like it was a good opportunity as well as an interesting one.  

Saveron: It was fascinating. ::He agreed.:: You are aware that I am a Reunificationist. ::That had come out a few missions ago.:: Romulans are physicially very similar, but our histories and resulting cultures have been greatly divergent since the schizm. It is important that their cultural distinctiveness is preserved, and their having separate colonies rather than being absorbed into existing Federation population will ensure that it is.

::It was a subject on which he held strong opinions, ones not everyone agreed with.::

::Alora smiled at the waiter who brought them their drinks.  After taking their order, Alora sipped some water before she continued the conversation in a slightly different direction.::

::Saveron ordered a dish that promised to be strongly flavoured, and gave the menu PADD back to the waiter.::

DeVeau: Is there anything you want to do after we eat?

Saveron: I had not planned anything specific. ::He replied.:: I am at your disposal. Have you any preference?

DeVeau: Anything is fine, as long as it’s with you.  

Saveron: Perhaps we might explore more of Deep Space Ten? I have only visited it briefly.

::And never encountered any of it’s more exotic denizens.::

::Alora set aside the water.::

DeVeau: I noticed you’ve been posted as a research coordinator.  I’ve never been on a ship that had one.  

::Which he must have known considering that all the ships where she had served he had been on as well.::

Saveron: I held the position previously, during Doctor Skyfire’s tenure as Chief Medical Officer. ::He reminded her.:: Given the scientific focus of the Invicta Expedition, it is logical to have someone to coordinate our efforts.

::A position that Saveron suspected Alora could also fill very effectively, should he be called to other duties. Whilst he had research experience he was always, first and foremost, a physician.::

DeVeau: Oh that’s right.

::Alora had forgotten about that, though Saveron neatly reminded her.::

DeVeau: Do you want to walk around a bit after we eat?

::They didn’t have to do anything specific.  When you cared about someone, being with them, no matter what you did or didn’t do, was what matterd most.

Saveron: I believe that you have greater familiarity with Deep Space then than I do; you were present during it’s discovery. ::He had been on Vulcan at the time.:: I would be interested to know more of it’s discovery; it’s nature before it was taken over by both the Federation and the Cardassians.

::It was, by all accounts, an ancient structure that predated both organisations. A relic of a previous government or species, possibly even the Menthar themselves.::

DeVeau: Well, I can certainly give some of that information, but there are others I can introduce you to who know far more than I do.

Saveron: I would be interested to meet them.

::The waiter set a plate of small, sweet fruits between them as an apetiser.::

DeVeau: Have you heard of the spiders?

Saveron: Only references to them in reports. I understand that they were present when the station was discovered, and served a… maintenance function?

::He wasn’t really sure, and although factual reports were better than rumour, they were still so strange as to be difficult to credit.:: DeVeau: Well...I sort of made friends with them back when the Maquis Reborn attacked.

Saveron: Fascinating. ::It was a part of the Garuda’s history for which he had not been present.:: How does one ‘make friends’ with a cybernetic spider?

::Sometimes a personal account count be far more interesting.::

DeVeau:  Yes, well, we needed their help and so I told them I came in peace.  Sort of.

::It had worked.  The spiders had equated them with the creators.  As far as Alora knew, they were still there, making sure things didn’t completely fall apart.::

DeVeau: They’re quite interesting.  Sheba’s their queen.

::’We come in peace’ was a classic cliché, yet also the core of Starfleet and the Federation’s mentality.

Saveron: Fascinating. They have personal denominators, but are a hive society?

DeVeau: Well, she never told me a name, so that’s what I named her.

::Which was not unreasonable. Given their language habits, it was easier to refer to an individual by a distinctive denominator.::

Saveron: Did you have the opportunity to observe much of their biology or culture?

DeVeau: A little bit, but not as much as I would have liked.

Saveron: I would be most interested to meet them myself, should the opportunity occur at some future point.

DeVeau: Why not today?

Saveron: Would that be feasible?

DeVeau: After we eat, I could take you there.  We discovered some passageways and I can lead you to their...well, their hive, to take your word.  Or, we could do something with just the two of us and we could head over there tomorrow.  I don’t think they keep to a particular schedule.

Saveron: My only preference is to share your company this evening. ::It had been three months since he’d done so.:: What would you find most agreeable?

DeVeau: I don’t care what we do, as long as it’s with you

::In other words, her sentiments were the same.::

Saveron: Then I would be most interested, if you would show me the spiders.

DeVeau: Then we’ll do that.

Saveron: I believe that there is also a viewing gallery, which we could investigate afterwards.

TBC

******

Commander Saveron

Research Coordinator and Second Officer

USS Invicta

R238802S10

&

Lt. Cmdr. Alora DeVeau

Chief of Science

USS Invicta M239008AD0