“Looking back on my lifetime of travels,” she said to him, “I am forced to conclude the universe has only two true constants: entropy and selfishness.” As she had hoped, her observation drew a half smile from Pike. “Don’t give up hope,” he said. “Selfishness will go away once the universe runs out of sentient beings.” “I’m not so sure.” She noted the incredulity in his sidelong glance, and added, “Trust me, Captain. Selfishness always seems to find a way.” 29 None of the other diners in the Enterprise’s officers’ mess had seemed to notice that Spock had not touched his plo-meek soup in nearly
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