tushanshu | oo1

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oo1 | video

[ It's a little too late to adhere to that whole non-interference clause of the Prime Directive, being the subject of an alien-napping and all, so here is Spock in all his pointy-eared glory. Looking as straight-faced as possible. Unlike Kirk, he didn't part from their meeting and then drink himself under a table, he stayed up all night watching network conversations and Sciencing. It would be illogical to... wallow, and he refuses to acknowledge that he even has the urge. ] ... Fascinating.

[ For such ancient technology, this thing appears remarkably serviceable. ] Greetings. I am Commander Spock, of the United Federation of Planets. If I understand correctly, then you are my fellow... detainees. [ There, that's politic enough. ] I would like to request information on what is being done with the crashed satellite debris. In return, I may be of some assistance in constructing something useful from it, as I am familiar with this level of technology.

In addition, any information on the turtle itself would be appreciated; the scans I have taken of the creature only tell me so much, and the indigenous people seem... disinclined to reply to my queries.

[ Aaaand he'll just give a sharp nod and the Vulcan Salute on his way out. ]

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[ That's interesting: very interesting. ] I am familiar with Earth's history; or rather, a version of it, as I cannot say in which ways the one I have studied diverges from yours. In my own Universe, it is another of the four founding worlds of the Federation.

[ And, since being familiar with Earth undoubtedly means Kyle is familiar with humans-- ]

Indeed. Vulcans feel emotion far more deeply than humans do. Such that in the ancient time it brought us to the brink of self-destruction through war, and only in suppression and logic were we able to truly find peace. To thrive.

[ He understands that most humans find the idea repellant, but so few of them have any real idea what Vulcan emotion is like. ]

Honestly, I suspect it diverges a lot. A few hundred years into my future, there's finally something like your Federation - called the United Planets, consisting of a lot of worlds I currently know to be at war, or on very unfriendly terms with each other. [Hope like a warm sun shines through in these words.] Somehow, they did it.

[Kyle, however, knows one or two things about controlling your emotions, because his ring works on his and it's vitally important that such a powerful weapon be kept in check. He'd like to ask a bit more, but he holds off. Instead, quite mildly, he states:] Personally, I find meditation a lot simpler.

[We can teach each other, if you like.]

Edited 2013-06-03 11:16 (UTC)

What is the year, as you are aware of it? [ Because he wouldn't admit it aloud, but that sound of hope means something to him. It always does. Sometimes a species just needs a few hundred years of evolution before it is ready to join the rest of the universe. ]

I do so myself, on occasion. [ Common ground is nice. He tilts his head, though Kyle can't see it. He would very much like further exchanges, and all the help he can get with his own emotions. ] You did not give your name.

[A silence that's heavy with sadness, because he wants to add to that hope. It's something he's always had to fight for, and more of it always needed.] I don't actually know. I've been on tour of duty and haven't been home for-- I think it's almost two years now. It's the early 21st century, I can tell you that much.

[And then he laughs. It's genuine, but one gets the feeling that he doesn't laugh like this very often.]

Aw jeez. I knew I forgot something.

[He switches to video. He is seated in a room in the Fire Sector. It is well-lit, quite clean, but lived in. Easels, paintings in various states of completion can be seen in the background, finished ones near the window. He is wearing his uniform, the mask on the table, off-camera. On his right hand, there is a green ring with the same insignia. There's a small, rare smile on his face, and his eyes are bright, his expression curious. He's twenty-five but looks a lot younger, and definitely too young for the rank he's about to state.]

Kyle Rayner of Earth, Illustres Honour Guard of the Green Lantern Corps. Atcher service.

[A small salute, playful.]

Edited (fills your inbox with edits) 2013-06-03 11:55 (UTC)

[ Spock's eyebrows go up, and just in time for them to actually be seen; he switches to video as well, as it seems the polite thing to do. Besides, he is more used to face-to-face communication, with the majority of Federation business being handled through video calls. ] Another of the benefits of the Federation is a standardized galaxy-wide stardate system which accounts for time distortion at high velocities and in gravity wells. [ Bro you guys need to get on this, there's nothing to lose. Except when your superiors betray you. Which actually seems to happen a lot. ] Fascinating. Earth's first contact with an alien species did not take place until 2063, where I am from.

[ He gives Kyle a quick look of appraisal, almost calculating, filing all those little details away for consideration later. He appears very young - it almost certainly stands to reason that he is exceptional in some (or multiple) ways, then. Spock does not return the smile, but it is intriguing that he has found a human who doesn't want to strangle him after half a conversation. Nice, even.

While Spock himself doesn't look nearly as young, himself, his relative age (being that Vulcans live twice as long as humans on a conservative estimate), he is no stranger to seeming out of place for it in his fields.

But that's neither here nor there. He may have already introduced himself in the original broadcast, but he hasn't revealed what his relationship to Kirk actually is. After only a moment to consider, he gives a slight but respectful nod and dispenses with the earlier caution. ] Commander Spock, First Officer of the USS Enterprise. [ He is hazarding a guess that Kirk probably told everyone who would sit still long enough just which star ship he is (was) Captain of, being as proud of it as he is. ] You have already met my Captain. [ He is still quite curious about that. ]

[Kyle's more at ease with audio, because his ring frequently functions as a phone, he multitasks a lot so it's easier to just talk while one works. Even when seated, there appears to be a restless energy to him, akin to water being held back from flowing by a hand. Muted, and not immediately noticeable, but present nonetheless.]

Again, excellent idea in theory, but reality shifts and interference from the multiverse makes that difficult to put into practice long-term. There is also technology and beings with the ability to alter the fabric of space and time. Makes it more... fluid.

[Essentially what he's saying is his resources are limited so he's putting his effort where it's needed most. Maximising utility, as it were, but he senses he does not need to state that directly for it to be understood.]

The Corps has been in existence for three and half billion years; Earth has had aliens - science teams, scouting missions, advance infiltration forces from various civilisations but only became more aware of them fairly recently. They reacted... well I don't think that changes across universes.

[Bitterness. Even he wants to believe, and can't, not right now.

He studies Spock, not calculatingly, but as someone who would appraise a work of art before moving on to the next one in the gallery. This is the first time he's meeting a Vulcan so he takes in all the cues, filing them away. He's almost pleased at the stoicism. It's comforting, adding to the familiarity he already felt when he first opened a channel. Somewhere out there, in another universe, they could be serving together.

Also curious that it's 'my Captain', instead of 'the Captain', for somebody who appears so formal, combined with the earlier discrepancy in tone--.]

I have met Captain Kirk, and I'm pleased to meet you. Do you shake hands, or have a specific greeting I can use?

[ Spock's brow creases again. There are problem worlds, yes, however First Contacts as a whole tend to go well in his own universe. Probably because the science teams, scouting missions and infiltration forces are all led by Starfleet in an attempt to assess before engaging directly whether or not the people and their societies are ready to meet with extra-terrestrial life yet. Hostile incursions led by the various Galactic empires (namely the Klingons, lately), are generally not targeted at more technologically primitive worlds, unless they are rich in some resource of import, because they offer little in the conquering.

However, Kyle's tone suggests no such thing, rather it carries an ominous implication. ] ... How did they react?

[ Spock nods, either way. For a species of natural touch-telepaths, shaking hands is an intimate act; Vulcans consider a "kiss" to be the touching of two of one's own bare fingertips with another's, after all. He has learned to adjust while living among humans, of course, but Spock still avoids that particular form of greeting whenever possible.

He lifts up his left hand, fingers parted in the middle. ] The standard greeting is "live long and prosper." It is also the standard farewell. [ Really, wherever you can fit it in works just as well. ]

[Simply:] It varies, but on the whole, people tend not to like those who are different from them. [A light shrug, and he adds-] They're getting used to it, they'll manage.

[Hope, to balance the pessimism.

Kyle leans forward and studies the hand movement, before he lifts his own right hand (with the ring) and attempts to mimic it. He appears to have some difficulty so he switches and holds up his left hand, in a perfect Vulcan salute.]

Does it matter if it's my right hand or my left?

Edited (spelling my eternal nemesis) 2013-06-04 12:55 (UTC)

[ There's a pause on his end again. He knows that, intimately enough; not that he would describe the majority of his Vulcan acquaintances as not liking him, that would be far too emotional, they simply... did not treat him as though he was one of them, no matter how strictly he adhered to their ways. He was too different. ] Then I wish you luck. [ Vulcans don't believe in luck, but you don't work under Kirk for a year and some change and not start to give a little credence to the concept. ]

Either hand is sufficient. [ He's interested in something else already, though. ] What is the significance of your ring? [ It looks Important. ]

[Gently teasing:] Success depends on a well-structured plan which accounts for over ninety percent of variables, not luck.

[At mention of the ring, he holds it closer to the screen for a few moments so that Spock can see it.]

It's a power ring. It can do almost anything: it's fuelled by my will and limited only by my imagination.

[Then he simply flicks his wrist, and creates a perfect construct phaser.]

Ta-dah!

Edited 2013-06-04 22:58 (UTC)

[ Spock's lips twitch. Very, very slightly. You're alright, human. ] Then good planning.

[ He leans in closer, studiously. ] Fascinating. [ Omfg Kyle you have no idea how badly he just wants to hold you down and tricorder you into oblivion right now. ] It must have tremendous energy output. What input is required? [ Yeah definitely more interested in how exactly it works than what kind of damage you can do with it. ]

Thanks.

[He smiles, he knows a scientist's reaction, except he himself isn't quite sure how the ring continues to work.]

Incredible, isn't it? It works on my willpower. I just have to think about it [a ladder, a portable electricity generator, and a small figurine of Spock appear in quick succession, before vanishing] and it happens.

[More pensively-]

It's tuned to my mind and affected by my emotions.

[Which is why he has to control them whenever possible.]

[ Oh no it just gets more and more interesting. He studies the display intensely, and then leans back when it's done. He's already got twenty theories on experimental cognitively controlled technology, things he's seen papers on back home but not yet seen in practice. ] Would you allow me to take a scan of it sometime?

[ Oh. Well that explains the need for meditation and... tentatively, because this is of a more personal nature than many of the appointments he makes, even those today which have been centered around exploring the turtle and--

oh to hell with it: ] Perhaps, if you are interested, I could share Vulcan meditation techniques with you. [ and vice-versa! ]

Feel free, but I warn you in advance, it'll be pretty inconclusive. Scanning equipment will just tell you it's a metal ring, and maybe be able to interface with its artificial intelligence.

[Because even he doesn't really know what the ring is made of.

Kyle seems a little surprised at how forward the request is. For somebody this distant. Maybe he just doesn't meet that many people who understand.]

I'd be honoured to learn, and share my knowledge in return. I've encountered several thousand civilisations, something will be of use to you.

Very well. [ It's a date!! ] Whenever would be most convenient for you.

[Kyle attaches another picture: a map indicating the turtle's head.]

Any time is good for me - you can settle in and then send me a message on the console. Is this a satisfactory location? Or would you prefer indoors?

It is acceptable. I have an interest in exploring the turtle's head as well. [ totally going to try to mind-meld with it at some point ok ]

[Vulcan salute.]

Live long and prosper.

[And he cuts the feed.]

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