Hello There, Old Buddy

Posted on Sun Aug 25th, 2024 @ 9:04pm by Petty Officer 1st Class Gabriel Stark & Lieutenant JG Aria Rice

1,510 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: To Boldly Go
Location: Mars Station
Timeline: Day 3 - before the crew board the Fenrir

ON:

Aria's eyes shone with excitement as she walked down the corridor of Mars Station. Having just flagged that another member of the Fenrir Security team had arrived, she had seen the name, the quarters they had been given on the station until they could get to the ship and by all that was holy and brilliant: she knew him. She actually knew him. And it wasn't like she knew him a little, it was one of her favourite people in the universe.

So, because she never really thought things through, she had made her way to the quarters that Gabriel Stark had been assigned to. She also took the moment to grab a bottle of vodka, the nice flavoured kind, ice cold to the touch. Because why not? She was off duty, he wasn't on duty yet and they had catching up to do.

She rang the chime, bouncing on the soles of her feet with her excitement to see him. Even if she was still wearing the Starfleet uniform.

"I'm not on duty..." Gabriel muttered as he answered the door, wearing nothing but a pair of denims. His eyes brightened up when he saw who it was, a grin spreading across his features. "Aria? Aria flipping Rice, what are you doing here!" he caught hold of her by the tiny waist, spinning her into his quarters.

She laughed as she wrapped her arms around him, the familiarity of the embrace warming. "I am here to hunt you down, Gabriel Stark...orders from our Chief," she teased, her eyes shining. "Let me have a good look at you..."

"The Chief?" Gabriel held her at arm's length to get the same look of her in return. "You mean...?"

"Oh, we're on the same ship, same department, blah blah blah," Aria said with a smile as she raised an eyebrow. "What, you thought I'd see you get onto a new ship, under Blake, after all your hard training, and not come along?"

"Oh I don't know, you might have found yourself a tall, handsome pirate out there and left us all behind..." he grinned, a knowing glint in his eyes before he shook his head.

"As if anyone could tie me down for more than a night," Aria tutted and smiled as she watched him. She reached to touch his cheek, patting it. "Doesn't mean I wasn't tempted now and then but let us face it...I am Starfleet."

"Through and through," he agreed with a grin, taking his best friend's hand to pull her over to sit...whether she liked it or not. "I have rum, you want rum?"

"I want rum," Aria smiled as she sat down, laughing as she looked at him. "You look good. Clearly, you've done well while I've been away..." she raised an eyebrow, wanting him to tell her. In detail.

Gabriel chuckled, shaking his head as he hooked two glasses with his fingers, slinging them haphazardly on the table before opening the bottle of spiced rum to pour. "You mean, I didn't die or get myself chucked out during advanced hazard training?" he teased accusingly.

She gasped, touching her own chest. "As if! I knew you'd excel at it...if you didn't punch the first annoying person you met," she said and winked, lowering her hand. "Did you enjoy it?"

"I'm not sure 'enjoy' is the right word," he chuckled softly as he settled next to her, clinking his glass to hers. "And you joke, but you have no idea how hard it was *not* to punch some of those arseholes. But...I did it. I got through it. I pushed myself further than I thought I could go."

"And I am so proud of you," Aria said, meaning it as she watched him before she sipped her drink. "I knew you'd be amazing. You are amazing. And I'm so glad to be serving with you again."

"Nah...." Gabriel actually blushed as he pushed his shoulder against hers, shaking his head. "I don't know. It felt good to finish something, even if it was just hazard training, you know? But I'd rather be back breaking up bar fights with you any day of the week," he grinned.

"Oh good, because I think we might have to. Our new ship has a bar...Valhalla!" she watched him with love before she rested her head against his shoulder. "I'm proud of you."

Gabriel couldn't help his grin at the words, even if he was already shaking his head, his arm draping around her shoulders to hold her close. "I haven't done anything special," he replied honestly. And even if he had, he doubted it would be enough to make up for the mess he'd made of his life up until this point.

She looked at him, eyes narrowing almost dangerously. "You have done loads special," she said before she kissed his cheek with a grin. "Are you excited about the new ship? It'll smell new!"

"Until we make a mess of it," Gabriel grinned, the words clearly only teasing as he watched her fondly. "And it'll be nice not being crammed in like sardines, well...as much as can be expected on a ship anyway. Have you met the Chief yet?"

"I have, he seems really nice," Aria said with a nod, her eyes warm. "And on it. You know when a Chief just seems confident without being arrogant? Yeah, that's him."

Gabriel perked up at that, leaning to refill their glasses. The news settled him. As a member of security, he was the first to admit the department could attract some...well...difficult people. It was good to hear they'd gotten a good egg. "Doesn't need to prove a point."

"Exactly," Aria said with a smile before she nodded, holding his eyes for a moment. "I know, I was a bit worried knowing the Chiefs I have served under over time." It was a sentiment she knew he shared, they had after all served under some Chiefs together.

Gabriel actually groaned out loud as memories of previous chiefs flashed through his mind in a way that was eerily similar to a near death experience. "Don't remind me, I don't think there's enough rum in the universe to forget some of them..."

"I know right?" her eyes widened dramatically before she hit his arm. "All good now though. Especially when I know you got my back. I need that. Daggers everywhere and that sort...in the dirty climb up ranks..." she wrinkled her nose in disgust. "Honestly, I wish Blake had just come here, demoted me to Ensign and I could do some other things.

Gabriel laughed softly at the way she said it, sipping his drink as he sprawled back casually against the couch, watching her with shining eyes. "Nah, you don't fool me Aria Rice..."

"No, no, no! I do not like more of...these!" she gestured wildly to her pips to make the point. "These are the work of the Devil they are. The more you get, the more crap happens. Seriously. Crap-age."

Gabriel couldn't help but grin at the way she put it, sipping his drink as he considered. He'd originally joined the Academy to become an officer. After being kicked out and serving time in prison, he'd rejoined as enlisted. He often wondered what would have happened under other circumstances. Would he feel the same as Aria? "Not enough benefits for the extra responsibility?"

"Nope," she said, the 'p' popping. She looked at him before she leant closer. "See, the truth is, once you're an officer, it gets...paper-worky. Or PADD worky. You think filling out a normal incident report is boring? End of shift reports are beyond that. They put pips on you and suddenly have expectations to behaviour, beyond what was flaunted at the Academy. And there's the serious guilt trip about ordering people around too, I never enjoy that. I don't think I was made to...manage...people."

"Well, what if I said you're exactly the kind of manager I would love to have," he shot back, his expression telling her to 'take that'...playfully of course.

"Yeah, yeah, you pretend to be lazy-bones," Aria said and smiled as she watched him, with warmth, reaching for another drink. "You know what I miss? Us just...drinking and laughing. Not had a drinking buddy I wasn't worried about, you know...stabbing me in the back."

"Ah, I'll always have your back," Gabriel grinned as he shifted up to drape his arm warmly around her shoulder. "Whether you like it or not. And I'm only teasing you. You should do what you want, Aria...if you don't want to climb the greasy pole, you shouldn't. You do great work exactly where you are."

"Oh, I know I do," Aria said with a smile, leaning to kiss his cheek. "Kind deeds, kind thoughts...and kick some arse whenever Starfleet needs it."

OFF:


Lieutenant Junior Grade Aria Rice
Assistant Chief of Security
[PNPC Hanlon]

PO1 Gabriel Stark
Security
[PNPC Blake]

 

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