Prompt: Does anyone remember when we were explorers?
A Better Way to Debrief
The rest of the command staff were already two rounds ahead by the time Kirk and Spock were finally able to join them at the hole-in-the-wall bar they'd selected mostly for its location well off Fleet grounds.
Kirk immediately downed the shot that McCoy had waiting for him and then ordered a beer for himself and signaled for another round for everyone to be placed on his tab.
″These debriefings seem to get longer and longer each time we report back to Earth, don't they?″ he complained, flipping his chair around to straddle it and rest his chin on the back.
″Sit up, Jim. You don't know when this dive last disinfected its surfaces and these chairs could be crawling with bacteria.″ McCoy emptied the last of his drink and looked around to see if the waiter was on his way with the fresh round and nodding when Uhura apologized after bumping his shoulder as she slid further into the booth to make room for Spock.
″While the actual time frame for the interviews to be conducted has not increased significantly, the nature of the discussions does, perhaps, give the impression that the sessions are increasing in length, Captain. Were we to have less unusual or involved reports to elaborate on, this would perhaps not be the case.″ Spock sat on the edge of the booth that Uhura had vacated and accepted the water she pushed towards him.
″I don't know about your sessions,″ Chekov said with a groan, ″But I think it would be better if the people conducting my debriefings had a better understanding of the science and mathematics involved and I did not have to spend so much time explaining every last detail to them.″ The new drinks finally arrived and Chekov sighed gratefully.
″I agree that they seemed to have done an insufficient study of the numerous reports we have sent them over the course of our recent missions.″ Spock didn't frown in puzzlement, but the impression that he had was there nonetheless.
″You've got to admit that some of our encounters have been rather... farfetched.″ Sulu said, hastening to add, ″To others, of course. Certainly not to those of us who were there. Maybe they just can't believe it? I mean, another alternate reality? Guardians of Forever?″
Uhura chuckled. ″Sex pollen, sentient tentacle creatures, child dictators, and creatures that communicate entirely with their eyebrows? Yeah, I can see why some of our reports are a little difficult to take in at first glance.″
″And so, more debriefing meetings tomorrow.″ Chekov added, frowning down into his vodka.
They all groaned at that and Sulu threw a wadded up napkin in Chekov's general direction.
″Does anyone remember when we were explorers?″ Jim asked, petulantly.
″What, last week? It hasn't been that long, Jim,″ Uhura replied with a roll of her pretty eyes.
″Don't worry, Captain. A couple more days of debriefings followed by a couple weeks of shoreleave and we'll be back out having adventures again, don't you worry.″ Scotty raised his glass and waited patiently for everyone else to raise theirs along with him. ″Cheers!″
They all clinked their glasses and set about defeating another round.