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[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

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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.

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[mintjulep]

They were still people. They were still murdered.

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[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?

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[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.

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[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.

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[saidrepent]

I'd offer to let you say I told you so whenever that day finally comes, but if the people of your time really do age "normally", I'm not so sure you'll be around to see it.

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[mintjulep]

Well, you have fun bein' a jackass for the rest of your life, then. At least some of us use the time we have naturally for some good.

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[saidrepent]

There is good in the work that I do, even if a bleeding heart can't see it.

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[mintjulep]

At least I have one.

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[saidrepent]

And may it serve you well.