IC Contact

[tactical_alert]

Reed. Leave a message.

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[universal_charm]

_{[ He absorbed that, looking over as a waiter appeared with their food orders, snagging a bite of the appetizer before working on dressing up his burger. ]}

Exploration is a harder gig to get in my time. You guys already did a lot it, so we do scans of some known planets. I've come across a couple that hadn't been catalogued, but not many. There was talk of a five year mission going out beyond known space, and I was gunning for it before... well, you know.

_{[ He took a bite of his burger, and got did that meat taste wonderful. ]}

[tactical_alert]

[He eyes that burger for a moment, missing some good meat. But he'll start on a mozzarella stick for the moment, lining up a shot.]

Plenty of first contacts. I'm sure our time must, in hindsight, seem like the wild west. Untamed and unknown. A lot of diplomacy. Thankfully, Captain Archer had somewhat of a knack for it.

[Nope, not quite a drop. Shame.]

[universal_charm]

_{[ It was a luxury, but that was the point of this right? Doing something luxurious. A good burger surely counted at this point. ]}

The Last Frontier, isn't it? I guess it kind of always will be.

_{[ But that was the exciting part, wasn't it? You could never stop discovering. ]}

Do you have a favorite?

_{[ He hopped off his chair and took up his stick, surveying the table. ]}

[tactical_alert]

A favourite--what, first contact? [There's a light scoff.] I'd have to strain my memory recalling one that was relatively peaceful first. I make it sound worse than it was, but it seemed like everyone we crossed paths with...something would go wrong. Even with diplomacy, it could be very rocky.

[universal_charm]

All right, so what's the one that went the least amount of wrong? This way I can take notes for when I go back and get that five year mission.

[tactical_alert]

I thought you were heavily implying that it wasn't happening? Because of...everything that went on.

[universal_charm]

Well, I can't say for sure they'd reinstate the initiative, but I think they would. Admittedly, my ship will need some heavy repairs before we could go out.

[tactical_alert]

Look, all that you need for a first contact is a healthy dose of caution, an open mind, and a diplomatic tongue. If they were already hostile, there isn't going to be much to do about that. Try to keep any...cultural differences be. Any potentially dangerous or emotionally charged ones, anyway.

Always be sure you know what's going on around you or you might end up pregnant.

[universal_charm]

_{[ There's a pregnant - hah - pause at that, Kirk's lips thinning as he tries to figure out if Mal is screwing with him or not. ]}

Have you been pregnant, Mal?

[tactical_alert]

Not me, no. Although our former chief engineer had quite the surprise on that end.

[universal_charm]

Yeah, I'll bet.

I'll be sure to mention that to Bones when I get back. Make sure to check for extra passengers and highly encourage contraceptives before engaging new life forms.

[tactical_alert]

Oh, we all made plenty of fun, but he wasn't exactly fully informed of what was happening, so, for once, not his fault. [There's a fond, if distantly so, look on his face at the thought. God, that was forever ago...]

[universal_charm]

_{[ Kirk knew that look. He got that look when he thought of his own crew, his own people. It was the look her head when he saw his tattoo in the mirror. ]}

For once? Sounds like he was the life of the party.

[tactical_alert]

He was. He was absolutely that. Caused plenty of trouble, mostly inadvertent. I had to follow him around to try to get him out of trouble. That's my side of the story, and I'm sticking to it.

[universal_charm]

<sub>[ There's laughter at that, full and bursting out of him. It sounded like himself - this friend of Mal's. Mal, he thought, was maybe Bones or Spock. Probably Bones since Mal could emote. It made him miss those two, and Uhura, and Sulu, and Scotty, and Chekov.

But he was glad for this too, for someone new. ]</sub>

We'll say I believe you - for now.

[tactical_alert]

If Trip Tucker ever shows his face here, he'll try to tell you I was something other than a perfect angel, and I'm here to say that I was absolutely a boy scout in comparison. So there. The record is straight.

[universal_charm]

I promise that no matter what Trip Tucker says, I will believe you were the equivalent of a boy scout in comparison. Scout's honor.

_{[ He held up two fingers like a salute, cheeky grin spread across his face. ]}

[tactical_alert]

Were you ever a scout? Because I have more badges than Captain Archer, and I'm rather proud of that fact.

[He's about to say something else, something that he instantly recognizes is morose, even if it fits his gallows humour, and bites it back with a swallow of whiskey.]

[universal_charm]

_{[ He almost snorts at that. Him? A scout? Mal couldn't be serious. ]}

Ah, no, I was never a scout, though sometimes I was invited to go along to some of their events by some of my friends when they were in it.

I always knew you were an overachiever at heart, Mal.

[tactical_alert]

Nothing wrong with that. [He says it with a sniff.] In fact I'd say it's worked out rather well for me.

[universal_charm]

Were they on your resume when you applied for Star Fleet?

[tactical_alert]

Now you're just making fun. There's nothing wrong with being an eagle scout; I learned quite a bit as a child. Believe me, I'm not always such a scout.

[universal_charm]

_{[ Okay, there's a laugh, because yes, he is making fun, but it's good natured, really Mal. Did you really expect him not to poke a little fun at that? Just a little. Especially when you seemed so proud... ]}

Oh I'm sure. I don't think the Scouts taught you how to pose quite like that for photos.

_{[ There is definitely a smirk now Malcolm. ]}

[tactical_alert]

No, no, that's all natural skill. [He'll return that smirk. Two can play!]

[universal_charm]

That's it gone undiscovered all this time is really a true shame. Or are you the poster boy for Star Fleet back home and haven't told me? Did you grace the walls of all those hopeful dreamers in the dorms?