The Aftermath

[logical_hobgoblin]

Spock is not pleased.

Pike is not pleased.

There might not be yelling, but the silence is deafening.

Spock has been decontaminated and taken out of the suit, but he's still locked behind an airtight barrier to ensure he's not still able to infect anyone else with whatever it is he came into contact with on the planet. So far, he's not exhibiting any symptoms, but it's unknown whether that's due to humanoid biology, or Vulcanoid biology, or because the virus is ineffectual in an oxygen atmosphere.

Despite all the people poking and prodding at him, he's still working away silently on his PADD, filling out reports. He might as well make use of his time.

Comments

[theoriginalcaptain]

"In a way, yes. But fairy tales are accepted as fake, it's part of their charm. This particular story is a bit more... conspiracy theory. Enough crackpots out there believe it's true that others are willing to at least listen to them."

Not that Pike indulges in conspiracy theories. Not even the ones that claim all of Earth's ancient gods and goddesses are actually aliens that visited in a more primitive time period.

[logical_hobgoblin]

"What is the basis of the story?" Spock isn't familiar with it, but he wishes to learn. If it holds Pike's fascination, it will likely hold his own, it seems.

[theoriginalcaptain]

Pike finds most of history fascinating, and especially the little bits of it that don't quite make sense.

"The story goes that in the 1860s, a gold miner from Martinez, California rolled into the Occidental Hotel - built in San Francisco, actually - and ordered a drink that was half gin, half vermouth, and to stick an olive in it. Thus, the martini was born. Only problem is that by the 1860s, Martinez had long run out of gold, and the Occidental wasn't finished building until 1869.

"Yes, there is a small, small sliver of a chance that this story could be true, but the odds are stacked against any of it being true. The only thing that's even remotely plausible are the olive, as California had a huge olive growing business reaching back decades at that point."

[logical_hobgoblin]

Spock is still holding the pick in one hand, the martini in the other, as he listens to the story, eyes narrowing slightly as he processes facts and figures he knows from that period in Earth's history. Pike is correct. The story isn't very plausible at all.

"Perhaps the olive is simply a product of chance, much like penicillin or 'Silly Putty'. Humans have a penchant for inventing by mistake."

[theoriginalcaptain]

"Rather a good talent, as we tend to make a lot of them."

[logical_hobgoblin]

Spock sips more at his martini, wondering how many other bits of human history have been lost, and whether that's part of why humans are so varied and chaotic. "It has advanced your civilization in numerous ways. It could, however, be argued that a more methodical approach may have been more effective."

[theoriginalcaptain]

"No argument there, but if we did, we wouldn't be humans. We'd be Vulcans." He doesn't mean that as an insult, merely an observation of how he's come to see Vulcan history - which may or may not be entirely accurate.

[logical_hobgoblin]

"You do not possess the necessary biology to be Vulcan," Spock replies, and it's hard to tell if he's seriously making an observation, or if he's joking. Maybe it's both. "We are, apparently, defined by our 'devil ears'."

[theoriginalcaptain]

"The eyebrows are pretty prominent, too." He's definitely teasing.

[logical_hobgoblin]

"Indeed. They seem to draw a lot of attention." Well, there's no point in denying it when it's true. "I believe, during the First Contact, your press described our physical appearance somewhat unfavorably." If being compared to a Halloween version of Satan is considered unfavorable.

[theoriginalcaptain]

"I'm not sure they ever really stopped. At least there's no tail or hooves."

[logical_hobgoblin]

He quirks his head to the side. "It would be difficult to navigate the smooth decking of a starship with hooves."

[theoriginalcaptain]

"About as difficult as a Vulcan sitting in a chair meant for humans."

[logical_hobgoblin]

Spock opens his mouth to reply, but then pauses. "Is that a joke?" He's not sure if they should literally be comparing the two difficulties or not. He suspects not.

[theoriginalcaptain]

"Yes, Spock, a joke." He smiles. Spock actually heard humor! "But also a reminder that the ship should fit the crew, not the other way around."

[logical_hobgoblin]

"This new chair will be a large, and appreciated, step towards that. I do not know how the ship will accommodate my pointed ears and devil tail, however," he says seriously.

[theoriginalcaptain]

"I'm sure something could be figured out." They do have Caitians and other tailed in the Federation, it only makes sense that they would have specialized chairs as well. ...Alright, he may be considering this a little too seriously, but this is what makes him the captain he is. He takes everything seriously.

[logical_hobgoblin]

"Perhaps a hole in the seat of the chair," Spock suggests, since Pike seems to be studiously considering the possibility. "Much like the garments of tailed species have a hole in the trousers to accommodate the extra limb."

[theoriginalcaptain]

"See? A simple solution. Hooves only need a different kind of flooring, and devil ears.... I don't imagine they need much accommodation."

[logical_hobgoblin]

"There would be fundamental difficulties if species that required substantially different temperatures or atmospheres were chosen to serve on board your vessel."

[theoriginalcaptain]

"Theoretically, that's why like species are grouped together. Doesn't really work to have humanoids working alongside, for example, merpeople."

Pike has actually met such people. Lovely people, but it'd be impractical to have them on a spaceship together.

[logical_hobgoblin]

"It would be incredibly difficult for merpeople to achieve spaceflight regardless of the species they grouped with." Spock thinks designing a spaceship that would maintain, filter, and function with a water-filled interior would be nearly impossible. Nearly.

[theoriginalcaptain]

"So's faster than light travel, if you asked someone a hundred years ago." Deep down, Pike's an optimist. But only when it comes to spaceship design, because that kind of thing fascinates him.

[logical_hobgoblin]

"If we discover a species that has managed this, I will take special interest." He's not saying they're not out there, just that the odds of them existing are very low.

[theoriginalcaptain]

And then he drains his martini and sets the empty glass aside because fuck it. "So I was reading the Vulcan text you gave me - thank you again for that, by the way - and I think you may have made a mistake in the translation."