Cohort Mingle

[complicatedliar]

WHO: Hux, Leonard, Keith, Natasha, Loki
WHERE: Whatever ship we're on
WHAT: Enforced in-person (UGH) mingling
WHEN: Event
WARNINGS: None thus far.

Seems like a good idea to have a post for mingling while everyone's trapped on the ship!

Comments

[outstandingbalance]

"Yeah, we were. This one is Starduck. I knew one or two people who were on it." Which is sort of Natasha's way of say she's fine with telling him about it, though she's not entirely sure how much there is to say. "I was on the Vaquish. No chicken."

[thatsjusttypical]

He gives a short laugh. "Guess we're the only ones blessed with that."

After taking another drink of the coffee, he turns to Natasha again. "So, you guys were taken from your homes too, right? Then put on space ships? What happened after that?"

Bones is trying to get an idea of the timeline of how events have occurred thus far.

[outstandingbalance]

"Well, for a few years we were dragged from star system to system, encouraged to embarrass ourselves. Saved a few planets..." God, she hated the Fleet. Not the people in it, but the being a leash. Every one of them like a dancing bear. "Then eventually we had the chance to turn on them. More complicated than that, but that's the short version."

[thatsjusttypical]

It sounds not great. Bones can empathize. "At least you did some good, I guess."

His thoughts turn to Jim and how much he'd probably hate being essentially kept captive and told what to do. At least if he managed to save some people he would have found that worthwhile.

"That's what we try to do in Starfleet. Doesn't always work out."

[outstandingbalance]

"It's what we tried to do back home too, in a way." Her brows pinch a little, betraying some of her guilt. " No, it doesn't."

She shakes her head. Better to move on from this topic. There's more productive directions they can go; it's an easy segue. "I've heard a little about Starfleet. If I remember right, this ship is more than a little bit of a downgrade for you."

[thatsjusttypical]

"It is," Bones confirms. "The Enterprise, the ship I was on, particularly had a lot of upgrades. They were in the process of rebuilding it before I came here. At least there's a med bay that seems relatively up to date."

He turns to her, realizing that he hasn't introduced himself yet. "I'm Leonard McCoy."

[outstandingbalance]

"Natasha Romanoff," she introduces herself with a slight, self-deprecating smile. Always nice to meet someone she can be relatively confident doesn't know her. "I've met a few of your crewmates, you know. Jim. Pavel. They are yours, right?"

[thatsjusttypical]

"They are." He turns to her, his brow furrowed. "How have you met them?"

Is this another case of odd timelines? At this point, anything's possible. If they were here at some point, Bones sure wishes they still were.

[outstandingbalance]

"They were in Drift Fleet. It's complicated, but they were good men." And that's the most important detail to take away. "Drift Fleet did strange things with time. Probably that's true here too."

[thatsjusttypical]

"I wonder if they were the versions that I knew or if they were different versions," he muses. "There were actually two different time lines where I came from, so I'm kind of used to strange things happening with time."

Bones shrugs at her. Sometimes there was nothing that a person could do other than to accept the weirdness.

[outstandingbalance]

"Sounds like we're both lucky that way." Natasha says the word 'lucky' with a certain flat disdain that makes it unambiguous that she means they're anything but lucky. "At least we're prepared?"

[thatsjusttypical]

He gives her a wry smile in return. 'Lucky' indeed.

"That's a positive way of looking at it," he says. Bones doesn't mind it. God knows, they need some kind of positivity around her, and he isn't going to be the one providing it.

[outstandingbalance]

"You know if you're calling me optimistic, you'd be the first." If optimism is what you'd call it. But they're here, and there's not much to do other than keep going. Besides, it is an asset.

[thatsjusttypical]

That earns another small smile. "I'd never insult you by calling you an optimist," he says, "so long as you promise to not do the same for me."

Bones does need that kind of balance in his life though. Usually it's Jim there to even him out, so in his absence, the doctor will have to take what he can get.

[outstandingbalance]

"It's a deal," Natasha agrees with an ironic smile, her brows twisting slightly. "I am far too Russian to be an optimist. What's your excuse?"

[thatsjusttypical]

He shrugs, thinking about that for a moment. "I'm a doctor. I've seen the worst of everything. Generally, things don't end up going the way a person wants them to."

Is it weird to say that science makes him a pessimist? Science and logic are reality, and reality isn't usually rosy.

[outstandingbalance]

"Fair enough. On the other hand, having a doctor on board is a pretty good sign for us." Not that she's exactly excited for it, but she likes knowing what their assets are. "Did you try the medical data point, or don't trust it?"

Natasha very much does not trust it.

[thatsjusttypical]

"I did," he says with a nod, "mostly because there might be some specific lifeforms here that I haven't seen before and won't know how to treat. I don't blame you for not trusting it though."

Bones wasn't thrilled about it, but he does take his oath seriously. If someone here is in distress, he wants to be able to help them.

[outstandingbalance]

"I can understand that." Understand and respect it. "I've been more or less holding my spot open. In case we end up with something we need in the future—communications, or if something else opens up. Seemed like the most flexible solution."

And it's a way to rationalize holding off a little longer.