Action

[conglomeration]

[Avoiding curses for the month hasn't made Zelgadis any less skittish about the City. More like he's waiting for the other shoe to drop, as it always seems to in his life.]

[After work, he spent part of the morning sipping coffee, face shadowed by his ever-present hood as he watched the passersby with part resignation, part wariness. Finally, he made his way to the Hall of the Missing. He's not entirely sure why; maybe wondering if someone from home may have been here at one point. Maybe curious if anyone had been here who looks like him.]

[If nothing else, it's quiet. So maybe he's just trying to get away from people. But of course, with his luck, of course he's going to cross paths with someone...]


((OOC: I AM SO SORRY to everyone who tagged my last post, it's been a crazy two months for me health-wise. If anyone wants to go back and backtag it for some reason just poke me, there's a contact post on the top of this journal!))

Comments

action; Uhura > Chekov > Zel?

[universaltranslator]

[Uhura's out window-shopping with Chekov when she catches sight of a familiar face across the street.]

Hold on a minute, Pavel. Zelgadis! [She calls out to the other man and waves an arm to catch his attention.]

action;

[candothat]

[Chekov stops and tries to single out whoever Uhura is hailing.] Is there anyone in this City you don't know?

[conglomeration]

[Zelgadis glances up at the familiar voice, about to raise his hand in greeting. But when he sees she isn't alone, he pulls his hood further over his face instead.]

Nyota, hello. [He glances at the stranger who's with her, but isn't sure whether to address him.]

lmao it helps to track these things orz

[universaltranslator]

[Uhura grins at Chekov] Only the people not worth knowing. [She tugs him over to Zelgadis]

I feel like I haven't seen you in forever. How have you been? [She gestures to Chekov] This is my friend, Pavel Chekov. Pavel, this is Zelgadis. [She's probably mentioned him before as that nice magic user Pavel should really talk to sometime.]

fffft

[candothat]

[Her reply gets an eyeroll, but Chekov's manners return once he's hauled over.]

Zelgadis? Nyota has mentioned you--favorably. [He doesn't offer a hand to shake (given the number of cultures represented in the City, it seems presumptuous to assume that it's an acceptable greeting), but he does seem genuinely pleased.] It's good to meet you.

[conglomeration]

[Gods, is this where he's supposed to give some socially acceptable response? He's so not comfortable around new people.] Ah -- right. ...You too. [Stilted and awkward conversation, check.]

[universaltranslator]

[Uhura notices Zel's discomfort.] I hope this isn't a bad time. If you have somewhere you need to be, we can catch up later. [offering him a graceful way out]

[candothat]

Or, if you two would like to talk, there are things I can do. [Seriously, Chekov wouldn't be offended if he was asked to leave. He has found that not everyone appreciates his... ah, enthusiasm.]

[conglomeration]

[ack, he doesn't really want to blow them off entirely. Nyota is one of the few tolerable people here.] No, it's fine. I was just lost in thought. Nothing important.

[After a second of hesitation, he takes down his mask to show of his grey-slate skin with the darker pebbles around his eyes. May as well shock the new guy now, on his terms, rather than later.]

[universaltranslator]

So what have you been up to? [She doesn't check for Chekov's reaction; he's Starfleet, same as she.]

[candothat]

[Chekov doesn't reply--not because Zel's appearance is shocking (he's no stranger looking than the alien cadets at the academy), but because silence does, on occasion, make a better impression than inane babble.]