for ZEX

[bornsnarky]

[scowling at the communicator]

Yeah, but what the hell happened to him? You could give me a little more-

[Jim barks something curt about not having time and you'll just have to deal with it, Bones]

Oh, great. Just great. Guess I better get ready for anything from the Antares Two-step to Denobulan Mudfever.

Comments

[bornsnarky]

[listens, arms folded]

[zexyandiknowit]

[Everyone seems to be cool--they're transporting the remaining slaves aboard. Sounds like most of them are human or humanoid.]

[ZEX acknowledges and signs off, rolling a shoulder like he has just realized it's sore.]

[bornsnarky]

Excellent.

All right, I need to give some instructions to my staff, then I'm all yours. And that's a promise and a threat.

[zexyandiknowit]

Understood.

I will put on a shirt.

[bornsnarky]

Shouldn't be too much for them to do, and of course they can page me if they need me. But they're experienced enough.

[and I'm needed here]

[nods, strips off gloves]

I'll be back shortly.

[darts out the door]

[zexyandiknowit]

[Hate to see you leave, love to watch you go, even at trauma times]

[Gonna grab a shirt from over here]

[bornsnarky]

[oh, you]

[does the necessities, comes back in calmly enough]

You wanna stay here or head to your quarters?

[zexyandiknowit]

My quarters have tea as well as alcohol.

[Let's walk there in semi-awkward semi-silence, buddy]

[bornsnarky]

[I'd make small talk if I had any idea how]

[zexyandiknowit]

[Unfortunately I am too busy with feels to facilitate]

[bornsnarky]

[harrumphs]

[waits for you to open your quarters]

[zexyandiknowit]

[Opens 'em]

[Walks in and gestures to a seat] I will start the water boiling. Please sit.

[bornsnarky]

[yawning comfortably as I sit]

[I'm more relaxed in your quarters now than in anyone else's]

All right.

[zexyandiknowit]

[Tea time, time for tea]

[bornsnarky]

[smiling at you]

[zexyandiknowit]

[The spines are totally gone, so that's something]

[bornsnarky]

[that is indeed a relief; I like the thought of being able to touch you without gloves]

[zexyandiknowit]

[Clinkin' around the mini-kitchen]

...I realize I should begin at the beginning, but I cannot recall what that is.

[bornsnarky]

Take your time.

[sitting down, fidgetty fidgetty fidget]

[zexyandiknowit]

[whyyyyyy do I like you so much and then do this to you]

...Well.

How much--I wonder, how much do you know about my transfer from the Armada? The reasons behind it?

[bornsnarky]

[good God, man, listening to you, supporting you is hardly'a burden, you moron]

Very little. I try not to listen to scuttlebutt. Got burnt too many times by rumours started by Jim.

[zexyandiknowit]

[Dryly] I can understand this impulse.

[Then, sobering] I... hmm. I may have to tell you a few things--for context--that... fall under the generous definition of classified information, at least to my people, and I therefore must ask that these things do not leave the room. There is enough doctor-patient confidentiality to waive the rules, a bit, but things would still be... uncomfortable, politically speaking.

[bornsnarky]

[hint of affection] He is such an asshole.

[nods, turning to face you, no more fidgeting] No problem, of course.

[zexyandiknowit]

Mm.

Well, firstly, a few decades ago the VUX Armada took control of a few outlying human colonies. As there were no Armada-Federation talks at this point, the Armada took it upon themselves to... enslave these humans. For years.

This has all been swept under the proverbial rug, of course, but as humans were not considered a sentient race at the time they were not actually considered to be slaves, and were instead marked as beasts of burden.

At this time, sympathizing with humans or attempting to prove their cognizance was considered... perverse.

[bornsnarky]

[deep breath] No one did any goddamn testing to confirm if humans were sentient?