Jack just sighed and shook his head. "Listen, if it's any consolation, I tried to get someone else to be your partner." Flipping on several switches, he said, "You have a green light for slingshot acceleration. Aaand, go." As the ship accelerated, he said to Alex and Val both, "Listen. All of humanity is riding on your success. Godspeed, you two." Alex smiled cockily, and leaned in to the camera, past Valerie. Performing a mock salute, he said, [b]"When have I ever failed?"[/b] Jack, irritated, said, "Space Base out. Good luck out there," and cut the monitor feed. 

Lounging about in a chair, Alex laughed. [b]"I made him rhyme! Nobody EVER makes Jack rhyme!"[/b] Proud of himself, he looked at Valerie, and grinning, he said, [b]"Come here often?"[/b] Spinning the chair around, he said, [b]"My boss didn't tell me your name. Mine's Alex Johns." [/b] Waving condescendingly, he said, [b]"I know, you're lucky to be paired with me, so why don't we skip all the gushing over my amazingness, and just get down to business, okay?"[/b] Alex smiled, and looked into Val's eyes, not even expecting her to not like him.