we are left to write the future

               ❝     hello .       ❞       the   teasing   note   to   their   tone   doesn’t   go   amiss .     it’s   there  ,     very   much   present   —    like   themselves .       𝙸𝚃'𝚂   𝙰𝙼𝚄𝚂𝙸𝙽𝙶   𝚃𝙾   𝙱𝙴   𝙶𝚁𝙴𝙴𝚃𝙴𝙳   𝙱𝚈   𝙳𝙸𝚂𝙶𝚁𝚄𝙽𝚃𝙻𝙴𝙳   𝙵𝙰𝙲𝙴𝚂  ,      at   least   sometimes .      despite   the   bleakness   of   the   universe   at   large  ,     it’s   something   that   never   gets   old .      especially   not   when   worn   on   the   face   of   one   he   recognises  ,     one   who   has   been   observed   by   the   continuum   on   a   more   or   less   constant   basis .      but   ever   since   the   war   it   seemed   earlier   and   less   important   things   were   disregarded .       𝚂𝙾   𝚃𝙷𝙴𝚈'𝚁𝙴   𝙽𝙾𝚃   𝙷𝙴𝚁𝙴   𝙱𝚈   𝙰𝙽𝚈   𝙶𝚁𝙴𝙰𝚃𝙴𝚁   𝙾𝚁𝙳𝙴𝚁 .      just   mere   curiosity  ,     an   element   typically   lacking   in   most   of   the   species .

                        ❝     this   ship   is   a   downgrade  ,     isn’t   it  ?     and   you’ve   lost   the   uniform  ,    too  !      i   know   someone   who   might   have   a   thing   or   two   to   say   about   that .       ❞         @ofgoodconscience​

          They’re an unfamiliar face, and yet Jean-Luc knows instantly who he’s dealing with. Or rather, what. He’s only met a few others from the Q Continuum, and he prefers to deal with only one ( or rather, none of them, but he rarely had that luxury ). But these days, life has been more on the dull side. At least, it had been, until just a few weeks ago.

    While Picard isn’t exactly the kind of man he wishes to follow any more he also won’t turn down his money. The reason doesn’t really matter to him as long as he gets the money in the end. “Very crafty.” His friend has a quick mind and way with people he’d never been able to get. 

“Why rely when you have the means to do it yourself? You can’t betray yourself.” There’s only a handful of people that he would fight for. It seems that this mission is doing nothing but adding to that. “I can see why they gave you command. Always thinking of everyone else.”

       And it doesn’t matter to Jean-Luc why Rios accepts the job. Morals, money, boredom --- it’s simply not important. ( He’d like it to be, of course. On the Enterprise his crew followed him out of duty and loyalty --------- and he knows there’s none of that here now. Not with Rios, not with Raffi. ) 

“To tell me that you died?” That she’d been right. Laris had warned him before he’d left that he’d get himself killed and what had happened? Granted it might not have been how she expected but– Laris cared, she was concerned and honestly the notion terrified her a little. Her feelings on synthetic life weren’t as strong as some in her species, she was typically content to ignore rather than try to destroy it but for something like this–

“It isn’t it still being you that I’m concerned about.” The yelling itself might have subsided but she’s still not calm, though what did he expect with the news he had? “But that it happened.” And that one day she’d have to hear that same news again. Besides, what would this all mean for him? For the Federation? For his life?

        She had been right. Jean-Luc has to give het credit for that, though it’s a bit of an ego-check. But then again, hasn’t this whole mission? He resists the urge to snip back at her, despite the fact that he’s long since accepted the reality of his new situation. He’s had time to sit with it. She hasn’t. 

He would admit Picard could’ve been a little more observant, but he didn’t hold it against him. He couldn’t have known what Soji was to him… He still doesn’t. How could any of them know that the Ibn Majid would figure into all of this? Did all of Starfleet’s conspiracies somehow tie into this mission?

“… I appreciate that. But you couldn’t have known. And I had no idea Sylar would–” A pause. “He gets protective. I’m sorry. I’m glad you’re alright.” He told him.

“I’m still trying to wrap my head around all this.” He said. “It’s a lot to take in.” With Agnes’ betrayal and… Attempt to neutralize the tracker that nearly killed her (whether it was a suicide attempt or not was not an issue he should tackle at the moment), Soji’s arrival and all the issues that come with that, the connection between Soji and Jana and the Ibn Majid, and now the added tensions between Sylar and Zhaban… Everything was piling on top of each other. “How is Soji doing?”

       Perhaps he couldn’t have known, but Jean-Luc still feels guilty. This might be Rios’ ship, but it’s his crew, in every way, and he continues to feel the fierce protectiveness over them that he always had on the Enterprise. They’re his people, and he has a responsibility to them. To keep them safe. To keep them happy. To keep them from feeling like this mission is a waste.

And they’re close. So close now. Soji is safe, she’s with them, but this is far from over. “I understand,” Jean-Luc says, tearing his thoughts away from his worries and back to the present issue. “It’s a good thing Zhaban was here instead of Laris,” he adds, only slightly joking. “I fear she would not have stopped.” 

But all that is not really the point, or the most important part of it all, is it? The mystery, which continues to unfold more and more at every turn, is looming. Ominous. “I know,” he says, in a way that isn’t quite comforting, or reassuring, but there’s solidarity nonetheless. It’s been a lot for him to take in as well. He’s been operating on autopilot for weeks now, and he’s certain that one day soon he’s going to crash and it’s all going to go spiraling out of his grasp.

He can only hope that this newfound crew will be there to catch him when he does. 

That’s… certainly a lot to take in. For a long moment, all Reg can do is stare and blink stupidly at his former captain, trying to process all of that. “O-oh,” he finally manages, in a slightly strangled sounding tone. “That’s, uh… that’s… uh…”

Realizing they should probably continue this conversation a bit more private, he starts walking towards the door to the outside, gently motioning Picard to walk with him. “A synth, here on Earth? She must be terrified…” He couldn’t imagine anything else, living on a world whose people had been conditioned to fear and distrust you for over a decade. “And I know the Federation isn’t what it used to be, but – collaborating with the Tal Shiar?” Nervously, he added, “Do you have any proof of this?”

           He’s surprised him. Of course he has. Just like he’s surprised Laris, and Zhaban, and now Doctor Jurati. If this is Barclay’s reaction, Jean-Luc loathes to think what Admiral Clancy will say when he heads to Starfleet to deliver this same message. 

She looks much more at ease once she finds a more comfortable position, jokingly pouting before halfheartedly knocking over her king. Playful banter was always welcomed, though initially she hadn’t expected it from a prim-and-proper captain such as himself. 

“ So you have to revert back to using money? At least it’s not a completely foreign concept, I suppose… But still! I just think it’s so neat that Earth progressed past it– did it make much of an impact on– uh– socio-economic disparities? I imagine it leveled out the playing field for Earthlings at the time. ” While she had Ed-e for company whilst adrift in space, there was only so much conversation the two could maintain. Three years in, they’d almost run out of small talk ( or small beeps, in Ed-e’s case ). So when the pair encountered the Enterprise, the possibilities for new, stimulating conversations were almost infinite. 

Sheila’s brows furrow slightly at his comment, a surprised little smile forming. “ So you stopped? But that’s how you improve! Although… I imagine Mr. Data can come off a bit blunt with his critiques. ” The last part is accompanied by a giggle, suddenly realising how damaging such constructive-criticism could be for a new artist.

“ Oh, I see how it is, ” her grin grows wide once more, a competitive gleam in her eye. “ Alright– name the game, I guarantee I can beat you this time! ” 

          “Yes, oddly I’ve found myself having to pay for things far more often than one might imagine. Many other worlds still rely on money as a means of economic stimulus and social structure. Which is... surprising, only because to think that Earth managed to negotiate unification to this extent contradicts everything that history leading up to that point would dictate. But the Federation has always made it clear that worlds which still use money as a means of social identification and hierarchy are not below us, or any less developed. The societies simply function in different ways.” 

Jean-Luc laughs quietly at the comments. “Yes, well. I can always trust him to be honest, which is more than anyone can say about most people. I’ve learned to not take his comments too personally, but also to trust his judgement.” He shrugs. “Besides, live performance art was always more fascinating to me than visual art. There are some things we’re just not cut out for.” He doesn’t sound too bothered by it, all things considered.