* LOGIC

      every bit of tuvok’s concentration was centered on the kal-toh board. he turns the thin metal piece in his fingers as he focuses on the SEEMINGLY-CHAOTIC board. and then, after several more silent moments of contemplation, the vulcan sets his piece on the very top. the jumbled chaos of the game pieces immediately shift into a shape that is even - BALANCED on all sides, as it should be. 

     call him paranoid, but chakotay doesn’t trust voyager’s readings; he doesn’t trust sensor readings alone, period. or, perhaps, it’s just those years of being maquis shining through. 

             ❝  not just with sensor readings, tuvok. with your eyes. don’t tell me we have better vision than vulcans do.  ❞

      ❝ my vision is perfectly ADEQUATE, commander. but our eyes can only tell us so much. using the sensors is far more effective. ❞

      still, tuvok lets his gaze flicker out into open space. he sees nothing EXTRAORDINARY - the faint collection of debris, with the source of radiation somewhere in it. a small plume of plasma several thousand kilometers from port; likely a LEAK from one of the ship’s systems. 

     jules’ paces the cavern  —  paces around tuvok  —  as the vulcan mocks him. mocks him!  baring the audacity to tell him his concerns are seeped in justified paranoia  !  he snorts, sharp gaze fixed on tuvok in warning as he replies. 

         ❝  really  ?  you don’t say, tuvok  ?  what could possibly be stressful about any aspect of my life  ?  but  !  may i remind you  !  ❞  jules’ comes to a sudden stop, worn soles scratching against the rock.  ❝  there is not a single possible way captain sisko survived that attack. there was not a single thing about that raider that could have made it survive an attack like that. i would know; i worked on them. and  —-  and let’s say the intendant decided to have mercy on her favorite little toy  —  do you think she would let him waltz back over here freely  ?  do you really think, for a fucking second, we aren’t compromised  ?  that we shouldn’t be shooting him, packing up, and moving before more causalities can happen  ?  ❞

      tuvok is silent - with that eerie vulcan calmness that’s trademark among his people - as jules shoots off in his anger-fueled rant. granted ( barring its presentation ) bashir’s CONCERNS did make some sense. the likeliness of captain sisko’s survival was low, given the circumstances. added the fact that the captain was not one to put down his weapons and flee when there is danger. 

      still, sisko was here - and ALIVE.  ❝ perhaps he was able to disrupt the alliance’s weapon system. or their engines. captain sisko has shown time and again to be a formidable opponent in battle, so i see no reason to start doubting his abilities now. ❞

             ❝  yes, actually. there is, ❞  chakotay spares a glance at tuvok as he continues.  ❝  to keep an eye out instead of getting comfortable in a sector of space neither of us know.  ❞

           ❝  good. we didn’t come out here for meditation, tuvok. ❞

IT APPEARS WE'VE LOST OUR SEX APPEAL, CAPTAIN.

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