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He almost laughs, but he smiles instead, nodding. Trusting had gotten him in this seat, though he supposed the lack of any kind of social worker helping him reintegration would have as well without throwing everything else on. That was easier to talk about. It was practically normal, given his career.

"We just met, so you wouldn't know, but this ship is a very familiar setting to me. There are definitely very frustrating differences, but I'm used to the closed quarters, same thing every day, same faces. I don't think I realized how comforting that was until we made port." His hand finds his pants, quietly rubbing his fingers against the material as a distraction. "Six years in space, at war is definitely harder to just let go than I expected."

"At war?" Malcolm asks.

Abel isn't sure what to do with the feeling of mild frustration every time he mentions his war and no one knows what he's talking about. There isn't anything he can do about it, but it's still there. "It's a territory dispute that's gone on for over twenty-years. Humanity against alien bugs." That sums it up as plainly as he can. He's testing the waters of details, unsure if it even matters. "I was a Navigator for The Alliance. The pilot half of a two-manned short range Starfighter."

The past tense he's testing out, it feels wrong to say it that way, but perhaps it matters.

"Navigation sounds like an important job in space. I imagine a wrong calculation can set you pretty far off course," Malcolm supposes.

He shakes his head, "while yes, it definitely can, I wasn't navigating the Sleipnir, which is the vessel we were stationed on. Most of the situations I navigated in was short range. If you got lost there you shouldn't be navigating at all."

"Ah. Did you get into flying before you went to the war or did they place you there for the war?" Malcolm asks.

"No, I enlisted when I was eighteen and was placed in the program at the Academy. I already had an interest in engineering, and I used to work on my motorcycle for fun, it was a good fit." He is reminding himself not to brag.

"Each team is in charge of repairs and maintenance on the ship they are assigned, and I definitely know my way around an engine. It's much more complicated than a motorcycle, but it was my life, so...I guess I found it fun." Useful, proficient, praised. "I wanted to be there so that also helped."

"That's a handy skill. Did you sign up to work in the engine room here?" Malcolm asks curiously.

"The spaces were filled, though from what I've heard the engine room isn't so...technical. I probably would just get frustrated by it. Perhaps maintenance would be better, but I currently work in the Gym." It's good for him, he's sure. That and knowing what other people are able to do with their bodies if they show up in the gym is a good tactical move. See who can beat the shit out of him if given the chance. "It was one of the only forms of recreation we bad available on the Sleipnir so it's what I'm used to."

“As long as you enjoy what you’re doing,” Malcolm tells him. “What about your life back there? Do you have a partner waiting for you? Girlfriend? Boyfriend?”

Abel wasn't expecting the question, his expression shifting for a moment, a frown, something in his eyes that might be guilt, maybe frustration. "No. No one is waiting for me."

“So… what are you here for? Do you know what you want for your deal?” Malcolm asks.

This one is easier, he doesn't mind talking about it at all. "The crew on the Sleipnir, after I left they mutinied. They're due a court martial trial when they return from the Baten Kaitos system, and they deserve to win their trial. The commanding officers on board the ship will never hold a position of power again if I can succeed at this."

“What did they do?” Malcolm asks with interest.

He had only talked to Shaw about the actual truth of Project Thebes and he isn't comfortable yet, sharing details with anyone else. There was something rather special about their trauma dump that kind of made him feel a little less stupid for being so easily manipulated.

"Gross misconduct and abuse of power. Personally I dealt with Commander Cook more than Bering, but they're both deserving of what ever punishment they get."

“It sounds like you’ll be saving a lot of people from something they don’t deserve to suffer, then,” Malcolm comments.

"I hope so." It's been bothering him so much since he had come here, the fact that he could have just done it himself, contacted the Sleipnir, met them at the Trial, gave his testimony. "I don't think it would be impossible to do it without a deal though, there was enough evidence. An end to the war was also in there, but I have to wonder if both will happen at once." He doesn't know how that works. He hoped both would. Though the war was more important, he had this intense need to see Cook pay for what he'd set in motion.

"I think it all depends on how you word it," Malcolm tells him. "How are you finding it so far, anyway? Wardening?"

"Difficult." That isn't a secret at all if anyone had been watching. "I wouldn't say I've even started yet, but I do better with instruction." He can think for himself, though he's finding that all free thinking has gotten him this past year is trouble. It hasn't necessarily been different in the few weeks he's been here.

"I've never had a temporary inmate before but I imagine it's hard to build real trust and rapport in a two week period. Though... I think the Admiral paired me with my second inmate because I'd sort of organically started to build trust with her when we weren't paired in any way at all," Malcolm muses.

Trust is definitely hard. He might enjoy people's company that he's met but he isn't sure he trusts them. "I don't think the city helped, but I feel like maybe it will be better once I figure out how to relax." If forming a bond is what his task is, he can do that. It's just going to be painful for a while. All the more reason to work on himself. "All this change and lack of structure has got my temper on a very short leash. That doesnt really help build anything, mostly just break things down."

"What do you usually do to cope with that? Work out in the gym? I offer a yoga group on deck three mornings a week. Maybe you'd find that relaxing," Malcolm offers.

"Working is what I would have done, but I don't have any of that to focus on now unless I just buried myself in personal projects. Working out is more keeping with the routine, but I've been trying to do more with it. It helps that I work there, and while it isn't working on an engine, maintaining the machines is an easy task that is sort of familiar. That helps." He's already avoided talking about Cain so the other form of relaxation he'd had available to him were completely off the table.

"I've never done Yoga, though I'm pretty flexible...I wonder if I would like it. I might have to come to a session and see how it goes."

"It's open to everyone and I don't get offended if you leave in the middle. I find it really helpful for mental health," Malcolm tells him.

The thought of just leaving before it was finished gets a slight eyebrow raise, not sure if he would be able to convince himself to do that even if he hated it.

"I'd see it through, but I suppose that's nice of you, not requiring so much commitment."

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