☤ 001

[mintjulep]

This is Leonard McCoy, Chief Medical Officer aboard the USS Enterprise. Bridge, do you copy?

[ There’s a man in science blue standing next to the fountain, looking cold and grumpy as he shakes his device. ]

Damn interference… Enterprise, this is McCoy. I don’t know what the hell happened with those infernal transporters, but I’m damn sure I ain’t where I’m supposed to be. Scott, can you hear me? Jim? Uhura? Sulu? Chekov? Chapel? Anyone?

… Spock?

[ Nothing, not even the hobgoblin. Dammit. ]

Right, well. Looks like I’ll try and blend in. Christmas music and all...

[ Except since his communicator couldn’t reach the Enterprise, it broadcasted his conversation to the entire city instead… ]

Comments

video;

[mintjulep]

[ Snort. ]

Yes, really. It's dangerous as hell, but we can't ignore it.

video;

[saidrepent]

[He nods, not going to question why the people of his world went nosing into deep space in the first place.]

... Do people age in your time?

video;

[mintjulep]

[ The aliens came to them first. ]

Age? Yeah, people age.

... Do they in your time?

video;

[saidrepent]

Not past twenty-five, no. [Very matter-of-factly.] The aging gene was fixed centuries ago.

video;

[mintjulep]

Fixed.

They must not've had the Eugenics Wars where you come from.

video;

[saidrepent]

[He considers that for a moment or at least appears to, and gives a slight shrug.]

Doesn't ring a bell.

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[mintjulep]

Killed over 30 million people because someone was playing God.

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[saidrepent]

[Raymond doesn't even feign interest this time.] Sounds tragic.

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[mintjulep]

[ Oh hell no. ]

What the fuck is wrong with you?

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[saidrepent]

Were you expecting me to react any differently? Because I'm not sure why I should be concerned with a historical event that has no bearing on the "world" I'm from.

video;

[mintjulep]

Over 30 million people died and you don't even bat a goddamn eyelash.

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[saidrepent]

Maybe if I'd been around to see it.

But, again, I don't see why it should concern me.

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[mintjulep]

Because thirty million people died, you asshole!

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[saidrepent]

Thirty million people who had no connection to me, anyone I know, or the work that I do.

Now tell me why it should matter.

video;

[mintjulep]

They were still people. They were still murdered.

video;

[saidrepent]

[Really, he's actually starting to get tired of this.]

In case you haven't noticed, CMO McCoy, people die every day. Where I'm from they die by the hundreds every day, timed out in the street because they couldn't keep a close enough eye on their time. If I had any sympathy to spare for them, I wouldn't be able to do my job.

So where am I supposed to find sympathy for your thirty million?

video;

[mintjulep]

It's Lieutenant-Commander to you. [ Jackass. ]

Maybe if you try pulling the goddamn stick out of your ass and actually start realizing that there's shit wrong when you try and play god, you'd find some.

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[saidrepent]

Lieutenant-Commander. [Fine.]

You seem to be operating under the assumption that because I don't feel sympathetic to these tragedies, that makes me somehow responsible for them.

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[mintjulep]

No, the fact that you don't see how fucked up it is that they happened and what caused them makes you responsible for ones in the future.

video;

[saidrepent]

[He sighs deeply.]

Then what would you suggest that I do? The clock doesn't stop ticking just because one man decides it's wrong.

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[mintjulep]

One man can become multiple if you don't just sit around and actually try to do something.

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[saidrepent]

It doesn't matter how many men there are, Lieutenant-Commander. The system is in place. Nothing is going to change that. [And it's his job to make sure of it.]

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[mintjulep]

Famous last words.

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[saidrepent]

I've been doing my job for fifty years. I have no intention to stop anytime soon.

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[mintjulep]

No one ever does.