poly_chromatic | commander's log 003

[ today has chakotay not yet asleep. this is hardly much of a surprise considering what's been going on lately. it isn't affecting him as badly as some people, but the way everyone's been reacting to it is definitely setting his nerves on edge. so that's why he's decided to make this hopefully encouraging transmission. ]

I know a lot has been happening lately. It seems like most of the City is cursed or seeing things that otherwise might not be real. I know it seems difficult. But we'll get through this. If [ his understanding of ancient earth culture ] memory serves and this place follows some of the rules, this sort of thing shouldn't last much longer. All we need to do is--

[ guess who just walked out of his room and into the apartment's living room to see... his captain... reading a physics book. ]

...Correct me if I'm wrong, but don't you have a doctorate in quantum physics?

Quantum Cosmology, but it's all relatively within the same field. [ people familiar with her will recognize the voice of kathryn janeway. ]

Then why are you reading a physics book?

I'm not. I'm correcting it. [ they can't see it, but she's holding up a red marker she's been going to town with on the poor outdated textbook. ] The science of the time is, well... painfully behind.

[ well that's new. ] I guess there are worse ways to spend your time.

I thought about trying out a few recipes, but suspected there might be a round of protests.

Only a few, I would think. If you feel like entertaining me with how you've corrected your physics book, I'll make dinner. [ if you people listening think he's grinning, he totally is. his voice is entirely amused. ]

You always make dinner.

[ he chuckles in amusement at that. ] Let me finish this and we can argue about dinner.

[ all he receives in response to that is a warm laugh, because they both know if there's an argument to be had, she'll emerge the victor. in return, he turns back to his communication to finish it. ]

As I was saying, I believe we can all make it through whatever curse is happening this month. We just need to do it together. Find people you can trust or whose company you enjoy and talk about the good things you can remember. We'll make it through this. Just keep that in mind.

[ and that's it. he's turning off the phone so he can "argue" with kathryn about dinner and her book. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Inspiring words, Commander.

[ don't mind him. it's a habit to put up encryptions when he's talking to fellow starfleet officers, even when the subject at hand is something as mundane as cooking or reading. ]

Anyway, there ain't nothin' wrong with your captain reading up on this time period's literature, and if she's correcting them, then all the better. I do the same with the some of the medical texts I've found. Didn't really sink in just how far back in time we are until I've read some of the stuff they consider acceptable medical practices.

[ god you just don't know how angry this makes him. or maybe you do. ]

Not the first time I've heard that.

[ he does not mind at all and that's why he lets it remain video for the moment. after kathryn's memory playing over the whole network, he's avoiding direct shows. he knows it's only a matter of time before khan realizes he's starfleet, too, but why broadcast it yet? he can keep it hush hush for now and deny it if asked. ]

I think she might agree with you. I haven't yet taken a look at them myself, but I'm beginning to think some of these would make even my head spin.

[ oh he could probably guess. the emh would have a field day, he's sure. ]

You definitely would need to sit down before you do some light reading.

[ because reading about complicated scientific terms is considered light reading for starfleet officers. ]

If you are planning to read medical texts, try reading them last, and don't look at the pictures.

[ that bad, chakotay. it's that bad. ]

[ that's really bad. welp. ]

I'll keep that in mind. Have you gotten your hands on one with a red pen yet?

[ aka has he marked one up like kathryn's doing to this poor physics book? ]

What do you think?

[ he's marking everything up. this books are full of rainbow colors for sure. ]

There's probably not any white space left, is there?

Been buying new pens all week.

If Kathryn goes through her physics book like you've gone through the medical ones, I'll have to find new pens for her, too. Any suggestions on the longest-lasting ones and where to get them?

[ he might be sort of teasing, but there's a note of sincerity in there, too. he knows kathryn. ]

Regular ballpoint pens, most stores sell them in pack. They don't bleed through the page either, like those glittery ones.

Kathryn wouldn't like a pen that bleeds through. Do the ballpoint ones come in different colors?

All I've seen are black, blue, and red, but I'm sure there are others. I only really got the ones I needed. [ do you even see him buying a pink pen? do you??? ]

[ seeing a pink pen in that man's hand would be his cue to look for an apocalypse. ]

Those will work fine, I think. Anything other than just black. [ pause. ] Though I think she's spent most of her time with a red one. Thanks for the tip.

Red's bright enough to get the reader's attention.

And no problem. It'd be useful once you starting picking up a book yourself.

Somehow I think that might be Kathryn's favorite.

Maybe I will, once I figure out a book or subject series to try out.

Why not start with whatever your specialty is? Mine is medicine. Janeway's is physics. How about yours?

[ a beat. ]

There are also those science fiction novels that are just wrong.

It's a little more complicated than that. [ he hadn't really had a specialty outside of command and his tribe's culture when he'd accepted it. ]

That might be more my subject. I think I'll refrain from asking and instead go find out for myself.

[ not prying. he's so not jim. ~~but he and jim will gossip about it to be sure~~. ]

Have fun with that, Commander.

[ ~~they're like the gossip squadron.~~ ]

I'm sure I will. Thanks for your pen advice.

commander's log 003 | voice;

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