(no subject)

[captaincocksure]

[Jim moves up to the podium like a man who wears authority well: confident strides, straight back, a clear mission. For a moment it might seem the piazza is in for some rousing speech or recruiting presentation.

But when he turns to face the assembled, there's a seriousness to his expression. A slight drooping of those squared shoulders, as if burdened.]

How do you move on from loss?

Comments

[captaincocksure]

Yeah, he's not half bad. But he means it--I get some booze but he wouldn't stand for me regularly blitzing myself into distraction with it.

[ There's a rueful smile. It's refreshing, for once, not to have his reputation precede him. ]

Ladies are always a good distraction. I'm starting to get to the stage, though, of feeling like I'm married to my work. My ship. Maybe I should throw myself in even deeper.

[stickseller]

You just have to know when the right time to do it is.

(Ah, the joy of the multiverse, because Howard has no idea who you are. He simply sees a man dealing with problems he too struggles with, loathe as he is to admit to that.)

Work has always been my distraction of choice, for some reason people frown on that too sometimes. Find what makes you, not others happy. (A pause.) What type of ship do you have?