Meeting after the Meeting

[mirroredcommand]

The new quarters were highly preferred over the cells of before, no matter how the quarters were obtained. Pike, privately, thought he was being on his best behavior when it came to such things. Otherwise, he would have simply killed one of the higher officers, removed their belongings, and declared their rooms as Spock and his own. The quarters were bare, but some time spent with the replicators made it less so. As it stood, they had little else but time.

After the messages had gone out to their respective ends, Pike could tell that the chances of their getting access to the labs was nearly none, but perhaps they stood a better chance if James T. Kirk would vouch for them as well.

The rumor mill was just as strong on this ship as it was on the one he knew far better, even if the rumors were highly different then the ones he was used to hearing. The ones in particular that struck him as interesting were the ones that the man who declared himself from Starfleet Intelligence had displeased many in needing to speak with them in interviews, and he was slowly gathering information, along with Spock, on exactly what he wanted to know in the interviews. He knew they were being recorded, and the man was attempting to gain trust by coming to locations chosen by the interviewee, but Pike knew better then to fall for such simple tricks. Starfleet was working through this man. Perhaps their universes had more similarities then just the ones on the surface.

He could smell the spiced herbal tea that was one of Spock's favorites, conveniently programmed into the replicator by the child-Captain, and was letting his own coffee grow cold. It seemed that a brand of Klingon coffee was what had grown popular, though how the Federation of this universe got their hands on it he would never know, but all that mattered was that it brewed hot and strong and somehow even a replicator could hardly mess that up.

Comments

[iron-command.livejournal.com]

"Consider me petty, then." Jamie seemed an appropriate name enough for the man they did not trust.

[mirroredspock.livejournal.com]

It was... strange to hear Christopher laugh openly at the instigation of another. Spock considered. But he could not interpret James T. Kirk as a threat, not as he perceived the child-Spock to be.

You like him.

Spock observed as James T. Kirk stripped off his shirt to try on the new one. He was well-formed. There was much to recommend him - it was understandable why his own Spock might be drawn to him in a physical fashion.

[iron-command.livejournal.com]

Much to his own surprise, Pike could only agree. I do. There is something about him I enjoy. He studied Jim in silence, unconsciously agreeing with Spock, even perhaps unconsciously to himself.

[original-fine.livejournal.com]

Jim laughed.

"That's settled, then," he said. He was relaxed, at ease, almost as if he was idling with friends rather than winding up a meeting which had begun with mutinous speculation. And not at all unsettled by their observation of him, which, as the captain of a starship and representative of the Federation to a hundred worlds, he'd gotten almost used to.

[iron-command.livejournal.com]

"Is there anything else that needs to be addressed?" Pike questioned, closing down the small program he had created and turning to face Jim fully. It was not a universe meant for small talk, though he was rapidly learning he would need it here.

[original-fine.livejournal.com]

There again, though, was that formality Jim saw as endemic to Pike's world for reasons that had nothing to do with politeness and everything to do with the reserve necessary for survival. It seemed a bounded, unhappy life. But that was his own prejudice speaking.

"Not at this time," he said. "Not until we know more, that is, about certain command decisions." He hesitated slightly. There was no telling, with both men revealing so very little, how far their regard tended. "Hopefully you'll be less bored than you were," he began again, "but there still is a lot of time to fill. For me, as well. I wouldn't object to being commed for another game of chess, or a bout in the gym, or whatever else you might find at least distracting for a time."

He was lonely, too.

[mirroredspock.livejournal.com]

"That would be acceptable."

It would be intriguing to watch more of this interaction between Christopher and James T. Kirk.

[iron-command.livejournal.com]

Pike glanced to Spock only for a moment, no mental communication required, before he asked, "Do you spar, Jim?" He asked with a keen sense of interest.

[original-fine.livejournal.com]

"Of course," he said, interest returned and raised. "Afraid I'm getting a little soft, these past few months."

[mirroredspock.livejournal.com]

Spock raised his eyebrow at Christopher. Sparring, really? Well, then.

"Then you should join us."

[iron-command.livejournal.com]

"Indeed." Pike smirked at the idea. It seems an ideal solution. We all find a way to compete against boredom as well as seeing his fighting ability and style.

[original-fine.livejournal.com]

"I would enjoy that," Jim said honestly. He figured they'd be formidable opponents--that should never be forgotten. And Jim did not like to lose. But that didn't mean he'd ever backed away from a fight where the odds were suspect. "Comm me any time you like."

[mirroredspock.livejournal.com]

"We shall do so, James T. Kirk."

Spock retreated, never turning his back even on his mate and this man that was earning some small measure of respect. He retrieved his PADD and studied the two of them.

[original-fine.livejournal.com]

"Until then?" Jim said, nodding to both. He hoped it would be sooner, rather than later. He made his own fun, after all, but part of that was taking advantage of opportunity. But if there was nothing else, he would not trespass on their time any longer.