Captain Gabriel Lorca & "friends"

“Gabe!” He called out, then, “Captain Lorca!”

Chris settled, instead of leaping on Lorca like he would’ve in his days as a little tree branch of a kid, for a warm hug before the man could object.

“It’s so good to see you.” The war has taken its toll on Gabe, on Chris, on everyone, but when it’s him and his ‘big brother,’ it really does feel like olden days for once. “Been ages, right? So sorry you couldn’t make it to my advancement, we had a party. Leland couldn’t make it either, though, so it was a little more on the subdued side. Or we’re all just getting old.”

It’s been over a year since Chris got promoted to captain, but it still feels like such a short time. The years are getting shorter, and not just because Leland’s been incommunicado for so long, but the rest of their old squad too.

“Oh, well she’s a beauty, you know,” he tells his friend.

Age and competence are certainly not a one-to-one correlation, and the Enterprise has its fair share of prodigies, but he does feel less out-of-the-loop onboard. Maybe that’s because of the distance of their five-year mission, or maybe they just humor him because he’s a captain.

“Best in the fleet, but the name is a lot to live up to.”

(One thing does confuse him a little, though it’s easily attributable to Gabe’s trauma. The Enterprise is well over a decade old at this point, and the name even older. It’s not a new ship by any stretch of the imagination)

Gabe nodded, trying to remember the Defiant files. Those had been captured by the captain of a different Enterprise a century ago. Sato, maybe? If Gabe was being honest with himself, he didn’t care much for history. Aside from the conquests of the Empire that had been drilled into him in grade school, he couldn’t remember much.

“If I ever get another ship, I’ll give you a run for your money on being the best in the fleet.” He paused, taking a moment to rub tension out of his neck.

“Gabe!” He called out, then, “Captain Lorca!”

Chris settled, instead of leaping on Lorca like he would’ve in his days as a little tree branch of a kid, for a warm hug before the man could object.

“It’s so good to see you.” The war has taken its toll on Gabe, on Chris, on everyone, but when it’s him and his ‘big brother,’ it really does feel like olden days for once. “Been ages, right? So sorry you couldn’t make it to my advancement, we had a party. Leland couldn’t make it either, though, so it was a little more on the subdued side. Or we’re all just getting old.”

It’s been over a year since Chris got promoted to captain, but it still feels like such a short time. The years are getting shorter, and not just because Leland’s been incommunicado for so long, but the rest of their old squad too.

“Oh yeah. That’s me-” He’s muttering as he leads them both out of the transporter hub and towards a lounge he knows. It’s not hip by any means, and they both know that.

“Hip.” With that, he looks back up and laughs. It’s the sort of comfortable familiarity where one can laugh with confidence, not knowing if the other will too, but not caring either. He’s missed it, out on his lonesome in space.

“God, I feel old.”

Gabe softly chuckled, then nodded. That was something he could relate to. Even though he got away alive, his escape from his counterpart’s increasingly nosy crew had been rough. His ‘eye injuries’ were a feint, but the broken ribs and soft tissue injuries still made him sore. He let himself move a little slower, since injuries seemed to be accepted, almost respected, in this universe, rather than seen as a weakness.

“Thirty-One?” Gabe pondered. He hadn’t heard of them before. He knew just about everything that happened in the Empire, so it must be specific to thus universe.

“I’m sorry Leland is couldn’t come, Chris.” Pike seemed upset. If anything, Gabe could try and get him to talk under the guise of comfort and camraderie. “Assignments can be hellishly long.” He awkwardly clapped Pike on the shoulder.

“I know I’m a little late, but how about a buy you a drink to celebrate your promotion?” Gabe could use a drink. Not to mention the chance of getting Pike to open up more. Gabe needed all the information about this universe he could get.

“A drink, yeah.” The tap on the shoulder and the invitation are enough to snap Chris out of whatever maudlin train of thought he was likely about to go on, but not enough to catch on to anything strange about what Gabe has just said.

Gabe was surprised to see Pike on Earth. Pike, who in his universe was always on the outskirts of the empire conquering new territory and expanding it. Pike, the Empire’s perfect little captain was hugging him.

Gabe took a deep breath. This wasn’t his universe. This Pike was different. More bubbly and sweet, just like champagne he had gifted Michael when she became captain. “It’s good to see you too, Captain Pike. Congratulations on the promotion.” Gabe tightly squeezed Chris before letting go, eager to get away from such a vulnerable position.

“Leland wasn’t there for your party? I thought you kept him on a short leash,” Gabe coughed to try and disguise his out of place comment. “So to speak. You two were inseparable.” He could only hope that was as true in this universe as it was in his.

“No, he’s still away.” He tucks his hands in his pockets and sways around, the sort of nervous demeanor of touching on a sensitive subject. Besides, with Gabe’s formality, he’s probably hoping for a little more distance too. But he can still keep up the casual conversation.

"I'm sorry Leland is couldn't come, Chris." Pike seemed upset. If anything, Gabe could try and get him to talk under the guise of comfort and camraderie. "Assignments can be hellishly long." He awkwardly clapped Pike on the shoulder.

“Gabe!” He called out, then, “Captain Lorca!”

Chris settled, instead of leaping on Lorca like he would’ve in his days as a little tree branch of a kid, for a warm hug before the man could object.

“It’s so good to see you.” The war has taken its toll on Gabe, on Chris, on everyone, but when it’s him and his ‘big brother,’ it really does feel like olden days for once. “Been ages, right? So sorry you couldn’t make it to my advancement, we had a party. Leland couldn’t make it either, though, so it was a little more on the subdued side. Or we’re all just getting old.”

It’s been over a year since Chris got promoted to captain, but it still feels like such a short time. The years are getting shorter, and not just because Leland’s been incommunicado for so long, but the rest of their old squad too.

Gabe took a deep breath. This wasn’t his universe. This Pike was different. More bubbly and sweet, just like champagne he had gifted Michael when she became captain. “It’s good to see you too, Captain Pike. Congratulations on the promotion.” Gabe tightly squeezed Chris before letting go, eager to get away from such a vulnerable position.

gentiles on this website: “You can’t be an atheist and religious!” actual Jews in my synagogue yesterday: “I’m just not buying any of this. I was born during the Holocaust and I could never wrap my mind around this omnipotent all-seeing God, and usually I’m a little moved by this, I try to be hopeful, but when I look around the world now, I just don’t buy it! If I really believed there was a God, I would resent him.” [still wears a prayer shawl and attends synagogue regularly]

The way she lingers could be called unprofessional, if Vera had any particularly professional relationship with Gabe, most of the time.