THE ORVILLE:
GOODBYE TO THE CIRCUS
WRITTEN BY ZARIUS
(Contains Spoilers For "A Happy Refrain" and "Identity Part One")
Claire was often described by her peers as perhaps the wisest of the Orville crew, but she could offer no sage advice to herself at this crucial moment.
She couldn't make Ty understand, what chance was there that she could either?
Her dependence on the more logistical aspects of her mind could only take her so far before the desire for emotional clarity overtook her. Professional distance and objectivity became harder to maintain, and she found herself compelled to reach out to the departing crew member she had set her sights on intimacy with.
He was leaving her.
Isaac was leaving her.
His function, his purpose had been fulfilled, he had been gathered all relative data on the human condition, it was now being processed by his people. He could return and be amongst them. He saw no point in returning to the stars.
Not even to make stars like little Ty, or to hold Claire's hand as they strolled towards their favourite spots in the simulator, to dine, and dance, and pleasure.
Claire should have expected this; it always came down to data, to logic, with Isaac. His desire to be in a relationship was just a further extension of this mission he'd been on; the pleasure had an altogether different purpose for him.
She thought of the last few cruel games he'd played, she thought it made from mere misunderstandings, from failing to grasp the imperfections and insecurities of the human psyche, but even those were nothing but further insights for him, just another experience before readjusting and strategising a means of reconciling his own failure to grasp the illogical and expand his creative horizons to win back her affection.
All of her world, all of the Orville, must have felt like a stage to him, everyone in it but players... a mix of the frightening, the fearless, the freak shows.
All the 'fun' you could have at the circus.
And off he'll go now, with them all having paid the price for his admission.