I'm glad to hear that. [ It's not easy doing what they do but once that's the life one leads, other things can't compare to it. Eyebrows up for a second, Pike watches James try and fail to get away with some puzzlement. ]

Interesting tradition. Not the strangest I had to deal with. [ He's been trapped against this will before. At least no one's playing illusions in his head or making him suffer through a hellfire of mental torture. ] Seems a pretty simple exchange for our freedom. You're the expert here, James, what's your preference?

[ True be told, he doesn't want to make the other uncomfortable. Kirk's a beautiful man, that much is obvious, and his looks match that personality. Pike is sure he must be having little trouble finding people to, let's say, combat the disease with. But that doesn't mean he's going to welcome the touch of someone he barely knows. Pike is not a man who likes to make assumptions. ]