Slotting In

Posted on 13 Dec 2013 @ 11:35am by Petty Officer 1st Class Gabriel Stark & Petty Officer 3rd Class Vermeer Talbot

1,149 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Episode 04 - Exodus
Location: USS Galileo - Deck 5, Stark's Quarters
Timeline: MD 08 - 1930

[ON]

Ver let out a breath as he looked around the shared quarters he had been let into. He knew he was sharing, but...it didn't matter. He was alive. He was here, he was safe. Sure, he was bald for now...but it would grow back. And the rest he could deal with. He smiled weakly as he sat down on a bunk, rubbing his hand over his face.

Gabriel moved into his quarters, whistling. He stopped abruptly when he saw the other man. He frowned, rubbing the back of his neck as he stepped back outside the door to check the number. No, it was definitely his. He moved back inside and watched the bald headed man with confusion and curiosity. "Er...hello?"

"Hello..." Ver said and turned his face to look at Gabriel before smiling weakly. "Sorry...I...I was told I could go here. To rest. I...am from Venture..."

"Ah," Gabriel nodded with understanding. He didn't have a room mate, and it seemed only natural that he should gain one when they were so stretched. He moved quickly to pull things off of the bed Ver was sitting on. "Sorry, if I'd have known I'd have tidied, mate!"

"Don't worry...really, it's..." Ver stopped and watched him, before he stood. He offered his hand to the other man, swallowing. "Vermeer Talbot. Everyone calls me Ver."

Gabriel moved to him with a small smile, taking the hand to shake. The lack of hair, the odd lump and bump here and there, and the fact he was from Venture brought the assumption that he had been deassimilated. He frowned, moving closer to watch his face, and judge his height. He suddenly grinned. "I know you...."

"Do you?" Ver asked with confusion, meeting his eyes for a long moment. He frowned, trying to remember if he had ever seen him before. It was hard to tell, his memories were all scrambled.

"Uh huh, although at the time you were a bit more scary," Gabriel admitted, shaking his head. "On the cube. We were sent in to get you out. No offence, but...I remember you because you made a short Borg compared to the usual huge ones."

Ver laughed, unable to stop it before shaking his head. That in itself was comical. "At least I was easy to deal with, right? Shortie..."

"Yeah, you still dropped to the ground with a pretty heavy thud though. Guess I should apologise if you're bashed up," Gabriel gave somewhat of a grin all the same.

Ver nodded, smiling weakly as he shook his head. "Can't complain," he said softly, looking around. "I am sorry for intruding here. Bet you're tired of the Borg."

"You're not the Borg," Gabriel pointed out, shoving the clothes on his own bed before moving to get them a drink.

Ver smiled weakly as he looked down, at his own hands. "Not anymore anyway," he said before looking at him. "So...a thank you is in order then, you saved my bacon."

Gabriel looked to him with surprise before moving to sit with him, offering the tumbler which contained real earth vodka. "I was just doing my job, mate. No thank yous," he said firmly.

"Well, even so," Ver said as he took the glass, sipping it before closing his eyes. "That's...intense."

"Russian vodka, the real deal," Gabriel assured with a grin, holding his eyes. "I think you kind of deserve it."

Ver gave a small nod at that, but with a glint in his eye. "In which case, we should finish that bottle..."

"Oh, getting the hang of it now, are you? Someone's feeling better," Gabriel teased, but with a warm smile as he topped up Ver's glass. "So where are you from? There's a hint of something in there...."

He laughed warmly as he met his eyes, his own easy. "Scotland," he finally said. "I tone it down because...well...engineers with Scottish accents...it's like a running joke, right?"

"Right," Stark laughed at that, resting back against the wall with a sight, stretching out. "Oh well you'll just love me then, I'm English. South," he watched him with a glint in his eyes.

"I can hear that," he said teasingly, shaking his head as he smiled warmly. "But that is okay, you know. I don't mind the English, as long as you don't mind the Scots."

"Hm, well that's trickier, because we're more likeable than you are," Gabriel said with a straight face before laughing as he lifted his arm to defend from a slap.

"Are you now?" Ver asked, leaning closer as he watched him. "Because I think we are just sweet and cuddly, with our kilts and our drinking and..." he stopped and frowned. "Okay, fair point. We're insane."

"I rest. My case," Gabriel teased with a small smile, refilling his drink. "No. We have to stick together you know. It's the rules."

"Against everyone else," he said as he watched Gabriel, smiling warmly. "So, tell me about yourself. I want to know who I am bunking with..."

"Don't worry, I won't kill you in the night and sell you for body parts," he assured with a small smile. "I have a lot of energy sometimes, other times I'm just - blah. Don't worry, I can keep it to myself. You can usually find me out for a drink, pretending we have a club."

"I like drinks too. And clubs. And talking. And I get a lot of energy...I like making weird things...I'm an engineer, you see," he said softly as he held his eyes for a long moment.

"I don't know how you guys do it," Gabriel shook his head, letting out a whistle. "There's so much to remember. It's like another language."

"It's like anything. Some people are good at it, some aren't. I know I don't remember security codes..." Ver said as he met his eyes, grinning. "But if you have something broken, I can fix it."

"Great! That means when I get in my next temper and smash something, you get to fix it," Gabriel grinned before shaking his head with a small smile. "Yeah, I have a temper too, you should know that. Don't ever take it personal, I just...it seems never to take much."

He nodded before kicking his leg gently. "Hey, don't worry. I don't tend to take things personally. Life's way too short for me to do that."

"I like you already," Gabriel laughed softly, watching him with surprise at his easy acceptance.

"And I like you, Gabriel. After all, you let in a Borg," he said playfully and poked him, unable to resist.

Gabriel laughed softly, poking him back. "Only because you're a very cute borg..."

[OFF]

PO3 Vermeer Talbot
Engineer
USS Galileo

PO2 Gabriel Stark
Security/Tactical
USS Galileo

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