Interlude – Arrienye and Sotar, sitting in a lift
by (G) Arrain - Lieutenant Arrienye t'Merek & Cardassian Vi'kar Gul Tharek Getal
Post Details
::ON::
Finishing the initial security check of the Box of Delights for t'Khellian's party, Arrienye went back to her quarters to change into a more comfortable outfit before heading to the Upper Promenade. Walking through the corridors a couple of decks away from the Consulate, she decided to take the lift for the remainder of the trip. The closest lift on that deck, she knew was one that had been damaged during the terrorist attack and she wasn't surprised when she saw a young Ensign in a mustard-yellow trimmed uniform working on it.
She was surprised to see two other officer walk out of the lift, on their way to tend to their own business. Walking up to the crewman, she asked if the lift was finally operational.
The Ensign, Phillip Benaiah Roth, looked up at her, his annoyed look being replaced by an apprehensive one at the sight of Romulan. "Oh, yes, ma'am," he nodded. "Just working out a few small issues. But it's perfectly safe," he assured her.
Giving him a nod, Arrienye stepped in. "Upper Promenade," she ordered, crossing her arms over her chest as the familiar hum of the lift began. A few seconds later, it stopped and two other people, wearing uniforms she didn't recognize, came in, chatting away. "Deck 123," the woman on Arrienye's left ordered.
Arrienye leaned back against the turbolift wall, lost in her thoughts, unaware of when the lift stopped to let the two other passengers out.
Sotar walked in, and immediately scrutinized Arrienye. But, after the bitter taste talking to her had left in his mouth, he thought it best just to suck it up, and deal with it.
"Cardassian embassy." He stated, not so loudly.
Arrienye stiffened as she saw Sotar enter. She pushed herself off the wall and remained standing there, her arms crossed. They stood there quietly when Arrienye suddenly heard a soft buzzing coming from the walls. Before she had time to think anything much of it, the entire lift suddenly jerked violently. Letting out an grunt, Arrienye felt herself lose balance and fall against Sotar.
Sotar himself fell flat on his back with Arrienye on his chest. A puff of air left Sotar as the breath was knocked out of him.
Arrienye let out a small groan as she fell against the hard armored chest of the Cardassian under her. With a loud screech and a few sparks flying off the light that illuminated the turbolift, the entire thing suddenly came to a complete stop. Regaining her senses, Arrienye pushed herself off Sotar and stood up slowly, looking around at the frozen lift.
"Ugh." Sotar sounded, as he regained his breath. "What in Cardassia's name happened?"
Arrienye looked down at him. "An invisible man walked in and pushed us aside," she said, "What the hell do you think happened? The turbolift broke down!"
"Stow the sarcasm t'Merek." Sotar said as he sat up.
"Don't tell me what to do, Telet," she snapped back, then let out a loud sigh, looking around the lift for a few moments. "I knew I should've walked," she muttered under her breath.
"I knew I should've walked." Sotar mimicked.
Arrienye looked over at him with a slightly raised eyebrow, amused. "What the hell do we do now?"
"Build a fire and sing songs?" Sotar joked. Standing up, he straightened his hair back to its usual placing.
Arrienye shook her head. Suddenly, they heard a beep. "Um, this is Ensign Roth. Is anyone in there?"
Walking over to panel, Arrienye pressed a button. "Yes, this is Arrain t'Merek, are you the ensign from deck 63?" she asked.
"Uh, yes, ma'am. There's been a malfunction," he told her.
"Really?" she said sarcastically. "Fix it!"
"Um, that might take a while," he told her after some hesitation. Arrienye sighed loudly. "How long?" She was not looking forward to spending time in a closed space with Sotar of all people.
"A while," he repeated.
"A while... Great." Sotar repeated the comm call.
"Dammit," Arrienye agreed, looking around. "t'Merek to Roth," she called. "There's a panel here in the wall, is there anything we can do from here?" she asked.
"Who's 'we'?" Phillip asked. "The Cardassian Chief of Staff is with me," she explained, glancing at Telet. They heard Roth let out an audible groan. 'Why was it that things like this always happened to me?' he thought.
"No, there's nothing you can do," he told them. "Just wait." With that, the comm link ended. Arrienye sighed, crossing her arms. She looked at Sotar, but remained quiet.
"What?" He said, giving her the glare back.
"Nothing," she shrugged, looking away.
Sotar finally stood, still nervous about what Tharek would think to him arriving late, but overall, not fussed. "Look at me. Tell me what's wrong."
Arrienye looked over at him, her blue eyes clear, meeting his. "There is nothing wrong," she told him firmly. "What about you?" she asked, not blind to the slightly nervous look in his eyes.
"The fact that we haven't spoken since the bar? Which I'm still confused about by the way... And the fact that I think I've done something to upset you, and I don't even know what it is... That's what's wrong." Sotar said, meeting her gaze with his own dark eyes, amplified by the light.
Arrienye looked back at him, contemplating her next words but coming up empty on what to say. She pursed her lips for a moment before finally replying, a bit too quietly than usual. "You haven't done anything," she admitted, though with great hesitation and without being able to look him in the eye when she said it.
"Look at me and say it." Sotar said, moving closer, but still maintaining a foot distance from her.
Growling and muttering something under her breath, she looked up at him and repeated, "You didn't do anything", clearly.
"Right... So, why the bar incident?" He asked, puzzled.
"Because I'm annoyed at you," she told him. "It's nothing you've done directly, I'm just irritated," Arrienye explained, as if it made perfect sense. Then she sighed again, knowing it didn't. "Listen, I find it very hard to process that at one moment, you could be standing in front of me, having a conversation, and they you're off serving that so called Ambassador of yours," she told him. "It's unnerving."
"So its something he's done?" Sotar said, finally starting to get the picture.
"I don't want to discuss it further," she told him firmly, though her tone suggested a 'yes'.
Sotar laughed to himself. "So the shithead done something to someone and struck a nerve with you? Why does that not surprise me?"
"It shouldn't. How can you work for him?" she asked. "He disgusts me."
"He disgusts me too. I am just about able to stomach being around him. And, I only do so because of the implications should I not work for him. I don't do it for the money, or health care or materialistic possessions. I do it because of the danger that consists of not working for him, for disobeying him."
Arrienye listened quietly. Once he was finished, she spoke up. "So you're afraid of him," she stated calmly.
"Most of his staff are. Some threatened, some bribed. Most of them want him dead. In fact, most of Cardassia does... I think the only reason he's alive is because of his past, and, however much I hate to admit it, what a tactician he is."
Arrienye scoffed at that. "I'm surprised you feel confident enough to speak those words out loud if he's as frightening as you say he is."
Sotar scoffed too. "Come now, granted, he's powerful, but his power is nothing on this station."
"Doesn't stop him from walking around and acting like he's the Commander," Arrienye replied.
Sotar murmured under his breath. "Look, point is, I hate him as much as you do, probably more in fact."
"I doubt it," she told him. Suddenly the lift shook violently once again, dropping a couple of feet and then coming to a screeching half. Arrienye blinked. "That can't be good..." she said to no one in particular.
Sotar swallowed dryly. "What deck are we on?" He asked.
"You are on Deck 95," the computer replied and Arrienye frowned at the sound. "We have to get out of here. Give me a boost, I think there's a release somewhere up there to open the top. There's bound to be a ladder and a Jeffries tube close by," she told him.
"Right." He said, kneeling down and placing out his hands. "Computer, how many decks below this one?"
"Computer disregard that question," Arrienye cut him off. "I don't want to know how many decks there are," she told him firmly, finding the idea that they could plunge to their deaths quite unattractive. She stood on his hands and waited for a boost. Once she was high enough, she looked around for a panel. Suddenly, there was a beep.
"This is Roth, are you two alright in there?"
"We're fine, but when we get out, you won't be," Arrienye told him.
"I've isolated the malfunction and the lift is stabilized now. It will all be fixed in twenty minutes," he assured them confidently.
"Understood," she said back, and once the connection ended she looked down at Sotar. "You want to wait? Because I don't," she said.
"Hell no!" He basically screeched. "Gemme out of here!"
Arrienye laughed, "What? You afraid?" she teased, unable to help it as she looked around the top of the lift for a release. Finally finding a lever, she pulled it and, with a hiss, part of the turbolift's ceiling slid up. Pushing it gently, Arrienye lifted the top up and it opened.
"I... I have a small claustrophobic fear... That's all... So hurry up!" He said, getting very nervous.
Arrienye blinked looking down at him for a moment before she burst out into a near-fit of laughter, barely managing to keep her balance on his hands.
"Hey! It's not funny!" Sotar said, releasing some of the grip in his hands, just to give her a scare.
But she just swayed a bit, grabbing the top of the turbolift for support as her laughing turned into small giggles. "Yes it is...it's hilarious. You're a soldier!" she told him. "And you're afraid of closed spaces? It's ridiculous!"
"You haven't been in the Dominion War have you? I had to hunt down a rogue Jem'Hadar, through the catacombs of Kita three. Try doing that then getting stuck for a day."
"Now you're just bragging," she said, stepping on his shoulder to pull herself up and out of the turbolift, disappearing through the top.
Sotar huffed. "What about me?" He asked, raising his arms in a desperate fashion.
"Oh I just needed you to give me a boost. See you later," she told him, though he couldn't see her anymore.
"Arrienye?... t'Merek!" He called out, eagerly hoping she was just playing a joke.
Luckily it was and soon enough he saw the Romulan's face looking down from the opening. "Just joking!" she said with a smile before holding her hands out to him. Hopefully, she'd be able to pull him up enough for him to grab hold of one of the bars.
Sotar took her hand, and in the process squeezed harder than expected. "That was a sick idea of a joke t'Merek... " He said, grabbing a bar and hauling himself up.
"Well maybe I have a sick sense of humor," she said back, helping him get into his feet before giving him a peculiar look and then shaking her head. ~No, he'd get hurt if I pushed him back down for squeezing my hand...~ she thought, walking over to a nearby ladder that would lead up to a Jeffries tube. She began to climb up, not looking back at Sotar to see how far behind he was.
Sotar eagerly climbed, and was inches behind Arrienye. "Hurry?... Please?" He asked, trying his best not to look back at the turbolift.
"What? Do you have a fear of heights as well?" she asked critically, but climbed faster nonetheless. Soon enough the reached the first Jeffries tube and, opening it, Arrienye slipped inside.
"No," Sotar said, climbing inside too. "I just don't like the fact that there could be more than a one hundred deck drop if I fall."
"You wouldn't fall if you held on," she told him, shaking her head. "I thought your people were supposed to be fearless, honorable warriors," she said, crawling through the Jeffries tube.
"Hey! I am, I just think about the bad things way too much." He said, exhaling with relief as he finally got his whole body into the tube.
"Well get a grip," Arrienye said in an almost order-like fashion. As she lead the way, a silence came over them and she got a peculiar feeling. "Sotar, focus on your claustrophobia, you're in a tube," she advised, having sensed he was giving her way too much attention from his position behind her.
"What do you think I'm focusing on?" He asked. The nervousness clearly present in his voice.
"Never mind. And relax, you'll be fine," she assured him, moving a bit faster through the closed space. "Talk about something, it may help," Arrienye suggested.
"About what?" He asked, shutting his eyes tight, breathing in and out deeply, and following Arrienye's voice.
"I don't know, I hear you Cardassians are good talkers," she pointed out, unsure of what to say. "Where did you grow up?" she asked.
"Upper Rivçal." Sotar said. "It's where the majority of space-faring Cardassian's come from."
"What about siblings, you have any brothers or sisters?" she continued her line of questioning, hoping to get his mind off where they were. While trying to hide the fact that she had no idea which way led outside.
"None. I would've thought my parents would have had more children, but I suppose they were content with one."
"After you I can't imagine why," she joked, then spotted what looked like an exit with Deck 102 written on the side. She headed there quickly.
Sotar laughed a little, following Arrienye's heels quickly. "Thank you."
As they came to a stop she moved into a kneeling position and opened the Jeffries tube after looking back at him to give him a smile. Pushing it open, they found themselves next to Holodeck 24. Ignoring the looks she got from the people walking through the corridor, Arrienye slipped out, happy to be back on her feet.
Sotar did the same, but hailed the ground as if it were holy. "Oh! Sweet open space, how I've missed you so!"
Arrienye rolled her eyes. "Get a hold of yourself, Sotar, we're in public," she told him.
"Exactly! We're alive, and around alive people!" He said, completely overexagerated.
t'Merek shook her head, putting a loose strand of hair behind her ear. Reaching over, she grabbed his arm. "Sotar, calm down," she told him calmly, hoping to snap him out of his euphoric state.
"Right... Yeah... " He stood, and shook his head vigorously. "I am calm... I think."
"No you're not, but you're going to be." Her voice was smooth, almost soothing in some way.
Sotar breathed in and out again normally. "Okay... I'm good."
"Good. Now I'm leaving," she 'announced', "See you later," she said, turning to leave.
"Wait... What?" He said, gripping her and swinging her around. "We just escaped a faulty turbolift that could've ended in a Cardassian-Romulan pancake, and your just going?"
"Yes, I have a few hours of free time and I want to go to the gymnasium," she replied, pulling her arm out of his grip while giving him a look. She didn't like being manhandled. "What do you want us to do?"
"Well I cou... " He was cut off immediately by his memory. "Oh shit!" Sotar exclaimed. "The Ambassador called all staff back to the embassy. He's going to have my skin for a rug... "
"Well you better get moving," Arrienye advised. "And be sure to tell him the Romulan Chief of Security held you up. He'll love that."
"I'm sure he will." Sotar said with a smile, as he jogged off and away.
::OFF::
Glen Sotar Telet
Chief of Staff
Cardassian Embassy
and
Arrain Arrienye t'Merek
Head of Security
Romulan Consulate
by (G) Arrain - Lieutenant Arrienye t'Merek & Cardassian Vi'kar Gul Tharek Getal
Post Details
| Title | Arrienye and Sotar, sitting in a lift | |
| Mission | Interlude | |
| Author(s) | (G) Arrain - Lieutenant Arrienye t'Merek & Cardassian Vi'kar Gul Tharek Getal | |
| Posted | Sat Jul 31, 2010 @ 11:16pm | |
| Location | Turbolift | |
| Timeline | SD26 - After 'Preparations' |
Finishing the initial security check of the Box of Delights for t'Khellian's party, Arrienye went back to her quarters to change into a more comfortable outfit before heading to the Upper Promenade. Walking through the corridors a couple of decks away from the Consulate, she decided to take the lift for the remainder of the trip. The closest lift on that deck, she knew was one that had been damaged during the terrorist attack and she wasn't surprised when she saw a young Ensign in a mustard-yellow trimmed uniform working on it.
She was surprised to see two other officer walk out of the lift, on their way to tend to their own business. Walking up to the crewman, she asked if the lift was finally operational.
The Ensign, Phillip Benaiah Roth, looked up at her, his annoyed look being replaced by an apprehensive one at the sight of Romulan. "Oh, yes, ma'am," he nodded. "Just working out a few small issues. But it's perfectly safe," he assured her.
Giving him a nod, Arrienye stepped in. "Upper Promenade," she ordered, crossing her arms over her chest as the familiar hum of the lift began. A few seconds later, it stopped and two other people, wearing uniforms she didn't recognize, came in, chatting away. "Deck 123," the woman on Arrienye's left ordered.
Arrienye leaned back against the turbolift wall, lost in her thoughts, unaware of when the lift stopped to let the two other passengers out.
Sotar walked in, and immediately scrutinized Arrienye. But, after the bitter taste talking to her had left in his mouth, he thought it best just to suck it up, and deal with it.
"Cardassian embassy." He stated, not so loudly.
Arrienye stiffened as she saw Sotar enter. She pushed herself off the wall and remained standing there, her arms crossed. They stood there quietly when Arrienye suddenly heard a soft buzzing coming from the walls. Before she had time to think anything much of it, the entire lift suddenly jerked violently. Letting out an grunt, Arrienye felt herself lose balance and fall against Sotar.
Sotar himself fell flat on his back with Arrienye on his chest. A puff of air left Sotar as the breath was knocked out of him.
Arrienye let out a small groan as she fell against the hard armored chest of the Cardassian under her. With a loud screech and a few sparks flying off the light that illuminated the turbolift, the entire thing suddenly came to a complete stop. Regaining her senses, Arrienye pushed herself off Sotar and stood up slowly, looking around at the frozen lift.
"Ugh." Sotar sounded, as he regained his breath. "What in Cardassia's name happened?"
Arrienye looked down at him. "An invisible man walked in and pushed us aside," she said, "What the hell do you think happened? The turbolift broke down!"
"Stow the sarcasm t'Merek." Sotar said as he sat up.
"Don't tell me what to do, Telet," she snapped back, then let out a loud sigh, looking around the lift for a few moments. "I knew I should've walked," she muttered under her breath.
"I knew I should've walked." Sotar mimicked.
Arrienye looked over at him with a slightly raised eyebrow, amused. "What the hell do we do now?"
"Build a fire and sing songs?" Sotar joked. Standing up, he straightened his hair back to its usual placing.
Arrienye shook her head. Suddenly, they heard a beep. "Um, this is Ensign Roth. Is anyone in there?"
Walking over to panel, Arrienye pressed a button. "Yes, this is Arrain t'Merek, are you the ensign from deck 63?" she asked.
"Uh, yes, ma'am. There's been a malfunction," he told her.
"Really?" she said sarcastically. "Fix it!"
"Um, that might take a while," he told her after some hesitation. Arrienye sighed loudly. "How long?" She was not looking forward to spending time in a closed space with Sotar of all people.
"A while," he repeated.
"A while... Great." Sotar repeated the comm call.
"Dammit," Arrienye agreed, looking around. "t'Merek to Roth," she called. "There's a panel here in the wall, is there anything we can do from here?" she asked.
"Who's 'we'?" Phillip asked. "The Cardassian Chief of Staff is with me," she explained, glancing at Telet. They heard Roth let out an audible groan. 'Why was it that things like this always happened to me?' he thought.
"No, there's nothing you can do," he told them. "Just wait." With that, the comm link ended. Arrienye sighed, crossing her arms. She looked at Sotar, but remained quiet.
"What?" He said, giving her the glare back.
"Nothing," she shrugged, looking away.
Sotar finally stood, still nervous about what Tharek would think to him arriving late, but overall, not fussed. "Look at me. Tell me what's wrong."
Arrienye looked over at him, her blue eyes clear, meeting his. "There is nothing wrong," she told him firmly. "What about you?" she asked, not blind to the slightly nervous look in his eyes.
"The fact that we haven't spoken since the bar? Which I'm still confused about by the way... And the fact that I think I've done something to upset you, and I don't even know what it is... That's what's wrong." Sotar said, meeting her gaze with his own dark eyes, amplified by the light.
Arrienye looked back at him, contemplating her next words but coming up empty on what to say. She pursed her lips for a moment before finally replying, a bit too quietly than usual. "You haven't done anything," she admitted, though with great hesitation and without being able to look him in the eye when she said it.
"Look at me and say it." Sotar said, moving closer, but still maintaining a foot distance from her.
Growling and muttering something under her breath, she looked up at him and repeated, "You didn't do anything", clearly.
"Right... So, why the bar incident?" He asked, puzzled.
"Because I'm annoyed at you," she told him. "It's nothing you've done directly, I'm just irritated," Arrienye explained, as if it made perfect sense. Then she sighed again, knowing it didn't. "Listen, I find it very hard to process that at one moment, you could be standing in front of me, having a conversation, and they you're off serving that so called Ambassador of yours," she told him. "It's unnerving."
"So its something he's done?" Sotar said, finally starting to get the picture.
"I don't want to discuss it further," she told him firmly, though her tone suggested a 'yes'.
Sotar laughed to himself. "So the shithead done something to someone and struck a nerve with you? Why does that not surprise me?"
"It shouldn't. How can you work for him?" she asked. "He disgusts me."
"He disgusts me too. I am just about able to stomach being around him. And, I only do so because of the implications should I not work for him. I don't do it for the money, or health care or materialistic possessions. I do it because of the danger that consists of not working for him, for disobeying him."
Arrienye listened quietly. Once he was finished, she spoke up. "So you're afraid of him," she stated calmly.
"Most of his staff are. Some threatened, some bribed. Most of them want him dead. In fact, most of Cardassia does... I think the only reason he's alive is because of his past, and, however much I hate to admit it, what a tactician he is."
Arrienye scoffed at that. "I'm surprised you feel confident enough to speak those words out loud if he's as frightening as you say he is."
Sotar scoffed too. "Come now, granted, he's powerful, but his power is nothing on this station."
"Doesn't stop him from walking around and acting like he's the Commander," Arrienye replied.
Sotar murmured under his breath. "Look, point is, I hate him as much as you do, probably more in fact."
"I doubt it," she told him. Suddenly the lift shook violently once again, dropping a couple of feet and then coming to a screeching half. Arrienye blinked. "That can't be good..." she said to no one in particular.
Sotar swallowed dryly. "What deck are we on?" He asked.
"You are on Deck 95," the computer replied and Arrienye frowned at the sound. "We have to get out of here. Give me a boost, I think there's a release somewhere up there to open the top. There's bound to be a ladder and a Jeffries tube close by," she told him.
"Right." He said, kneeling down and placing out his hands. "Computer, how many decks below this one?"
"Computer disregard that question," Arrienye cut him off. "I don't want to know how many decks there are," she told him firmly, finding the idea that they could plunge to their deaths quite unattractive. She stood on his hands and waited for a boost. Once she was high enough, she looked around for a panel. Suddenly, there was a beep.
"This is Roth, are you two alright in there?"
"We're fine, but when we get out, you won't be," Arrienye told him.
"I've isolated the malfunction and the lift is stabilized now. It will all be fixed in twenty minutes," he assured them confidently.
"Understood," she said back, and once the connection ended she looked down at Sotar. "You want to wait? Because I don't," she said.
"Hell no!" He basically screeched. "Gemme out of here!"
Arrienye laughed, "What? You afraid?" she teased, unable to help it as she looked around the top of the lift for a release. Finally finding a lever, she pulled it and, with a hiss, part of the turbolift's ceiling slid up. Pushing it gently, Arrienye lifted the top up and it opened.
"I... I have a small claustrophobic fear... That's all... So hurry up!" He said, getting very nervous.
Arrienye blinked looking down at him for a moment before she burst out into a near-fit of laughter, barely managing to keep her balance on his hands.
"Hey! It's not funny!" Sotar said, releasing some of the grip in his hands, just to give her a scare.
But she just swayed a bit, grabbing the top of the turbolift for support as her laughing turned into small giggles. "Yes it is...it's hilarious. You're a soldier!" she told him. "And you're afraid of closed spaces? It's ridiculous!"
"You haven't been in the Dominion War have you? I had to hunt down a rogue Jem'Hadar, through the catacombs of Kita three. Try doing that then getting stuck for a day."
"Now you're just bragging," she said, stepping on his shoulder to pull herself up and out of the turbolift, disappearing through the top.
Sotar huffed. "What about me?" He asked, raising his arms in a desperate fashion.
"Oh I just needed you to give me a boost. See you later," she told him, though he couldn't see her anymore.
"Arrienye?... t'Merek!" He called out, eagerly hoping she was just playing a joke.
Luckily it was and soon enough he saw the Romulan's face looking down from the opening. "Just joking!" she said with a smile before holding her hands out to him. Hopefully, she'd be able to pull him up enough for him to grab hold of one of the bars.
Sotar took her hand, and in the process squeezed harder than expected. "That was a sick idea of a joke t'Merek... " He said, grabbing a bar and hauling himself up.
"Well maybe I have a sick sense of humor," she said back, helping him get into his feet before giving him a peculiar look and then shaking her head. ~No, he'd get hurt if I pushed him back down for squeezing my hand...~ she thought, walking over to a nearby ladder that would lead up to a Jeffries tube. She began to climb up, not looking back at Sotar to see how far behind he was.
Sotar eagerly climbed, and was inches behind Arrienye. "Hurry?... Please?" He asked, trying his best not to look back at the turbolift.
"What? Do you have a fear of heights as well?" she asked critically, but climbed faster nonetheless. Soon enough the reached the first Jeffries tube and, opening it, Arrienye slipped inside.
"No," Sotar said, climbing inside too. "I just don't like the fact that there could be more than a one hundred deck drop if I fall."
"You wouldn't fall if you held on," she told him, shaking her head. "I thought your people were supposed to be fearless, honorable warriors," she said, crawling through the Jeffries tube.
"Hey! I am, I just think about the bad things way too much." He said, exhaling with relief as he finally got his whole body into the tube.
"Well get a grip," Arrienye said in an almost order-like fashion. As she lead the way, a silence came over them and she got a peculiar feeling. "Sotar, focus on your claustrophobia, you're in a tube," she advised, having sensed he was giving her way too much attention from his position behind her.
"What do you think I'm focusing on?" He asked. The nervousness clearly present in his voice.
"Never mind. And relax, you'll be fine," she assured him, moving a bit faster through the closed space. "Talk about something, it may help," Arrienye suggested.
"About what?" He asked, shutting his eyes tight, breathing in and out deeply, and following Arrienye's voice.
"I don't know, I hear you Cardassians are good talkers," she pointed out, unsure of what to say. "Where did you grow up?" she asked.
"Upper Rivçal." Sotar said. "It's where the majority of space-faring Cardassian's come from."
"What about siblings, you have any brothers or sisters?" she continued her line of questioning, hoping to get his mind off where they were. While trying to hide the fact that she had no idea which way led outside.
"None. I would've thought my parents would have had more children, but I suppose they were content with one."
"After you I can't imagine why," she joked, then spotted what looked like an exit with Deck 102 written on the side. She headed there quickly.
Sotar laughed a little, following Arrienye's heels quickly. "Thank you."
As they came to a stop she moved into a kneeling position and opened the Jeffries tube after looking back at him to give him a smile. Pushing it open, they found themselves next to Holodeck 24. Ignoring the looks she got from the people walking through the corridor, Arrienye slipped out, happy to be back on her feet.
Sotar did the same, but hailed the ground as if it were holy. "Oh! Sweet open space, how I've missed you so!"
Arrienye rolled her eyes. "Get a hold of yourself, Sotar, we're in public," she told him.
"Exactly! We're alive, and around alive people!" He said, completely overexagerated.
t'Merek shook her head, putting a loose strand of hair behind her ear. Reaching over, she grabbed his arm. "Sotar, calm down," she told him calmly, hoping to snap him out of his euphoric state.
"Right... Yeah... " He stood, and shook his head vigorously. "I am calm... I think."
"No you're not, but you're going to be." Her voice was smooth, almost soothing in some way.
Sotar breathed in and out again normally. "Okay... I'm good."
"Good. Now I'm leaving," she 'announced', "See you later," she said, turning to leave.
"Wait... What?" He said, gripping her and swinging her around. "We just escaped a faulty turbolift that could've ended in a Cardassian-Romulan pancake, and your just going?"
"Yes, I have a few hours of free time and I want to go to the gymnasium," she replied, pulling her arm out of his grip while giving him a look. She didn't like being manhandled. "What do you want us to do?"
"Well I cou... " He was cut off immediately by his memory. "Oh shit!" Sotar exclaimed. "The Ambassador called all staff back to the embassy. He's going to have my skin for a rug... "
"Well you better get moving," Arrienye advised. "And be sure to tell him the Romulan Chief of Security held you up. He'll love that."
"I'm sure he will." Sotar said with a smile, as he jogged off and away.
::OFF::
Glen Sotar Telet
Chief of Staff
Cardassian Embassy
and
Arrain Arrienye t'Merek
Head of Security
Romulan Consulate