mirroredcommand: (Sitting hands in front)
Captain Christopher Richard Pike ([personal profile] mirroredcommand) wrote2009-10-21 09:20 am
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[Open] Observations

After his departure from the gym, Pike silently made his way up towards where he knew the observation deck was on his own Enterprise. He ignored the looks he was given as he walked in calm measured steps, but listened carefully to the murmurs when they believed him to have passed.

It was interesting how lax the security was, or someone had finally decided that he was allowed to walk the ship and had informed security of it. It was swiftly decided that the former seemed more likely considering the universe. Pike was fine with it, for now, if for no other reason then it allowed him to make it up to the deck without being bothered along the way.

There were only two other people on the deck when he appeared. They were sitting on a sofa, tucked up against each other, looking up at the stars. Lovers, presumably. Pike gave them a wide berth in the large area and walked with silent, almost formal steps up to the clear, thick material that separated himself from the cold silence of space.

The system did not immediately leap to mind a name from memory as he gazed out across constellations and planets. There was a planet nearby, something close enough to look as large as the full moon did from Earth. He watched its topography for several minutes, attempting to discern, but could not place it.

Pike glanced behind himself, noting the arrangement of furniture for the room. The little differences were the ones that stood out to him the most, such as the design of the furniture. They were designed to be immensely comfortable but were of such a condition that they were mass produced. He walked over and gathered one, turning it to face directly outward, and settled his body into the soft cushioning.

He let his thoughts drift without concern for some time, listening to the silence of the room and grateful for it. It allowed him to concentrate on raising his mental shields, carefully, to leave him alone in his mind. Never separated from Spock, could never be, but a clear mental silence that would allow him to think.

There was a brief swish, and Pike glanced over in time to watch the couple leave the room, leaving him alone. There was a part of him that relaxed further, the part on constant watch for assassins. It was a curious side-effect of this universe, that he found himself able to actually relaxed. It felt rather like being within the boundaries of his Mojave home, which was protected by the latest in technology programmed to himself alone. Not only that, but the pack of creatures unlike anything Earth had ever seen. They were discovered very late in a long-passed five year mission, and despite orders, he had taken two of them with him.

Pike smirked as he thought of the two. They were canine in shape but reptilian as well, fierce as a wolverine with the loyalty of a dog. The two young pups had bonded to him as if they had been given birth from him, and now their own pups did the same as well. The only person that could be near the hounds without being torn apart was Spock.

What would happen if he was unable to return home? They lived on his large acreage as a pack, a den dug into the ground, without his aid. Perhaps they would continue to breed and spread.

A frown crossed his features as Pike realized what he was thinking. They would return back to their universe, they had to. He would not abandon his ship, which with the nanoprobes infesting its circuitry, was truly abandoned behind measure. Though... Scotty was still on the ship, and provided the man was not drunk beyond the ability to see, he was a genius. Perhaps, given enough time, he would discover the problem and be able to find a way to re-program the nanoprobes to respond to himself or another. Maybe, but it was a long shot.

The more time he spent in this universe, the larger the chance that there would be no ship to return to. While never fully helpless, the Enterprise would be in a grave danger without a captain at her helm and without a ship that would respond to another's command. A part of him wanted to call Spock foolish for having endangered the ship so, but another part of him countered that easily by understanding exactly why Spock had done so.

Spock. In his mind, Pike replayed the scene down in the gym as well as the one from previous in the day. Spock was reacting in almost a humble sort of fashion under the glare of the young nurse. Changing, Pike's mind told him. They were both changing. Not quickly in many ways, as Pike had known what Spock's reaction to being touched unknowingly would be, but more swiftly then he would have guessed in others. Spock was not the type to so easily follow another person's commands, unless that other person happened to be McCoy, whom Spock was still very wary of, and even then Pike would have been hesitant to say so.

Would they continue to change, more and more each day, while in this universe? Was it an effect of the universe itself or one that came from having changed between two universes? The idea of that happening was off-putting, to say the least. Would he become like this weak-minded fools that currently ran the ship he was on? He thought of the child-Captain, and mentally winced at the mere thought of it. He knew that his hand was often harsh in his methods, and it had to be if he wanted to not only command some of the most brilliant and dangerous people in Starfleet's command but to remain alive to do so, but he planned his missions well. People like Chapel were welcomed additions to any mission, as she was a fierce fighter as well as a medic. Because she was a medic, people would often underestimate her.

The woman had an affection for blood, so anyone who would underestimate her was soon to discover.

He even found small changes occurring in himself, found himself restraining his natural urge to not only threaten, but allow things to happen. Thinking again over the small incident in the gym, it startled him to realize that previously he would have allowed the person foolish enough to try and touch Spock do so. The pain would have been their warning never to do it again. Instead, he had seen it coming, and had stopped it. Was this universe making him grow soft? He had thought similar things after Jim and his Spock had been there in their small cell-room, playing a physical and verbal game of chess.

A thought that had only brief occurred there cropped up again. What if it was true that they could not return? What would be their place? His methods, he was quite sure, were too different from this universe's to be allowed to be captain of one of their ships, but then again, their methods seemed incredibly idiotic to his eyes thus far. He would not want to captain a ship under such methods. There were other things they could do, but the small, simple idea that he would be forced to chose something new after so many long years of being in command...

I'm too old for such things. Pike mused to himself, smirking at his faint reflection in the material in front of him. It was a joke to himself as he never really thought of himself as old.

No matter what, he would continue to return to his universe. Pike could not help but wonder, though, how different he, and Spock, would become before he returned there.

[identity profile] ephram-green.livejournal.com 2009-10-22 05:48 am (UTC)(link)
It was late. So late, it was probably early again, yet Ephram couldn't find sleep. The sounds of the ship were still too new and too intrusive on his subconscious to allow decent sleep. He accessed the computer in his guest quarters and found himself led to the Observation Deck. Watching the stars always did calm him.

[identity profile] iron-command.livejournal.com 2009-10-22 01:09 pm (UTC)(link)
Pike's head turned slightly at the sound of the doors to the deck opening, and he briefly studied the man who entered. A younger man, something told him, despite the shock of brilliant white hair that was the stranger's mane. He was acutely aware that his back was to this stranger, thus when he returned to face forward again, he kept his eye on the other's reflection in the material before him.

[identity profile] ephram-green.livejournal.com 2009-10-23 02:00 am (UTC)(link)
"Oh, I hadn't expected anyone here. Hello." His voice was pitched quiet, in response to the late hour and emptiness of the room. This man was somewhat older than Ephram himself, and dressed in unusual clothing, he noted. First impressions being what they were, Ephram filed this unknown man in his mental category of displaced until he knew otherwise.

Watching his own reflection in the viewing port material, Ephram wandered closer to the stars glinting there. "I forget how beautiful space is, sometimes," he murmured, only half expecting an answer.

[identity profile] iron-command.livejournal.com 2009-10-23 01:00 pm (UTC)(link)
Pike felt no need to respond to such a thing, and let his gaze focus behind the clear glass to space beyond. If the stranger mentioned that as his first offer of conversation, it not only meant he was looking for a response, but it meant someone who did not spend a lot of time in space but had been there previously.

He folded his hands once again, wondering if the man truly wanted a conversation for some reason or another or if he had come up the Observation Deck for another reason.

[OOC: What kind of clothing does Ephram happen to be wearing? A Starfleet uniform, something casual, or something else? Thank you!]

[identity profile] ephram-green.livejournal.com 2009-10-23 08:19 pm (UTC)(link)
Content with no verbal response to his bland statement - though he hadn't made it for no reason but as a tiny offering of information - Ephram stood a respectful distance and kept his gaze on the stars. Keeping the man in his peripheral vision, just in case, he pondered. The man resembled Admiral Pike, but the dress, and...to Ephram's latest knowledge the Admiral was now dependent on a wheelchair. Another mark for the category of displaced.

"Sir," he said, half-turning toward the seated man, "you resemble someone I know. Do you have a brother?"


[OOC - He's in civilian clothing. (http://tinypic.com/m/5zi5qa/3) :D ]

[Edit: html FAIL D: ]
Edited 2009-10-23 20:21 (UTC)

[identity profile] iron-command.livejournal.com 2009-10-23 09:03 pm (UTC)(link)
Finally Pike turned his head enough to focus on Ephram. The way the man spoke was curious, or at least the words he had chosen, "No." He stated alone. The outfit the man wore was civilian clothing, but there was a way about his stance that did not speak of a civilian. Could it be another new comer to the ship? He had not seen this man's like before on this ship.

In this universe, Christopher Pike was a well known name. If this man was allowed to wander the ship, in Terran civilian clothing no less, there was a reason. "Cut the bullshit." He said with a low tone.

[identity profile] ephram-green.livejournal.com 2009-10-24 02:12 am (UTC)(link)
Ephram dropped his innocuous expression. "I'd wondered when you would call me on that," he said with a light, knowing smile. "Here's the thing: you resemble the Admiral Pike I know, but you're not him. Not with a leather uniform and no wheelchair. You're displaced from another universe, and I have orders to learn what I can about you and the others. Commander Ephram Green, Starfleet Intelligence," he finally introduced himself.

[identity profile] iron-command.livejournal.com 2009-10-25 01:31 pm (UTC)(link)
Ephram was studied in silence for several silent seconds, a full body sweep followed by their eyes meeting. Starfleet Intelligence, the lowest possible scum. In his universe, they were the ones captains all knew of, and knew any man could be. They would not have introduced themselves as such. They knew the finest in methods of torture and were some of the swiftest assassins.

What, exactly, would it mean in this universe? This was someone else to be on his highest guard around. "Captain Christopher Pike." Pike responded, confirming Ephram's suspicions.

[identity profile] ephram-green.livejournal.com 2009-10-25 11:12 pm (UTC)(link)
Ephram allowed the man's assessment. Something about this Captain Pike warned him that the man came from a much more savage universe. The information Ephram had on the other prospective universes was sparse, which made him cautious. He could volunteer information such as his rank and duties, as that was public knowledge, but he reminded himself to be sparse with anything else.

"So you've been displaced from home," Ephram said. "Is it very different?" He kept the question deliberately vague.

[identity profile] iron-command.livejournal.com 2009-10-25 11:56 pm (UTC)(link)
Pike would be sparse as well, "Somewhat." Same people, same basic concepts, completely different attitude. "I have little desire to speak with you about myself or my universe." He gave the man a long look.

[identity profile] ephram-green.livejournal.com 2009-10-26 04:07 am (UTC)(link)
"There's the problem then, because I have orders to talk with folks such as you." He eyed this Pike. "Certainly your universe's version of Starfleet's Admiralty would have just as little understanding for those who don't follow through on orders?"

[identity profile] iron-command.livejournal.com 2009-10-26 11:21 am (UTC)(link)
His version of Starfleet would have expected the Captain to have gotten the information by any means necessary, or if it had taken so long to discover, they would have taken him off without anyone's knowledge. "Why were you sent here?" Pike turned the questioning on Ephram instead. "From what I've seen, you have an admiral on board," His very own counterpart, "And many top officers," Whether or not he believed they were worthy of such a title.

[identity profile] ephram-green.livejournal.com 2009-10-27 02:54 am (UTC)(link)
"Headquarters wanted an outside neutral party." He didn't elaborate on whether he felt himself neutral. Instead he looked at Pike. There was a harshness, a savagery not present in Ephram's brief dealings with Admiral Pike. He didn't know what to make of this man. "Those top officers are, for the most part, personally involved in things to the point that Starfleet believes they're not neutral enough."

[identity profile] iron-command.livejournal.com 2009-10-27 03:08 am (UTC)(link)
Pike fixed Ephram with a dark look, "And a member of Starfleet intelligence is supposed to be neutral? Neutral to what, exactly? Can Starfleet not trust their own officers? What an interesting bit of knowledge about this universe." His voice remained droll, his expression cold.

He could see that disliking Starfleet getting into ship business passed between universes. A universal standard, perhaps, that every captain shared.

[identity profile] ephram-green.livejournal.com 2009-10-27 03:42 am (UTC)(link)
"Neutrality is relative, of course. I'm more neutral by their reckoning than if your Admiral counterpart were to interview you. It's not a matter of trust, sir." He spread his hands in a sort of shrug.

[identity profile] iron-command.livejournal.com 2009-10-27 11:49 am (UTC)(link)
That earned Ephram the smallest shake of Pike's head, "Somehow I don't believe that's why Starfleet sent you. Nothing to do with the relative youth of the crew, I assume."

[identity profile] ephram-green.livejournal.com 2009-10-28 06:30 am (UTC)(link)
"I didn't say it had to do with the relative youth of the crew. Though they are...quite young," he mused. It hadn't surprised him in his briefing, but seeing even the few crew that he had so far, it was...a shock, in person. "And I have my own theories as to why they sent an outsider to investigate." Which of course he wouldn't share.

[identity profile] iron-command.livejournal.com 2009-10-28 01:06 pm (UTC)(link)
"Of course." The words were spoken with a certain sense of dry sarcasm. "Then I wish you luck on your... investigation." Pike let the last word hang between them, meaning none of it. If this man wanted to 'investigate' Spock, he would do it unknowing that Pike would make sure to hear every word.

As it was now, Spock.

[identity profile] ephram-green.livejournal.com 2009-10-29 07:26 am (UTC)(link)
Ephram's brows crinkled in a slight frown. "Would you tell me one thing, sir? What do the people of this universe call your home universe? A duplicate, an alternate, a mirror, a parallel...?"