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[dow]

[ The vouchers on offer have been put to good use. Witness one Vulcan wrapped up in a couple of high-neck, long-sleeved sweaters where he sits in front of the screen. There's no way of regulating the temperature as accurately as he could on the Enterprise, so the curtains are also drawn to stave off the encroaching cold and, in the comfort of his own abode, he's donned a thick cardigan that looks like a customized blanket. Winter, nngh. So while Spock looks a lot fluffier, his tone is just as businesslike as usual. ]

Many of the foreign recipes I am familiar with have little bearing on the available ingredients in the market and as such may not be employed here. I would be grateful for suggestions on supplemental dishes and am willing to provide recompense for any assistance provided. On a different note, if there are any individuals with an inclination toward telepathy, I am curious as to whether any of them know where it would be most opportune to try and establish a meld with the turtle. That said, they would be welcome to participate in a psychic foray being made. I was told that this has never been attempted by a great number of minds and find the unexplored concept fascinating.

I am familiar with the weight of a great many consciousnesses and amenable to hosting temporary mental immersion with others.

[ In other words, Spock is happy to be the Red Ranger in a group setting where other minds might need to rely on him for direction or support. He goes on, lifting a hand-written stack of notes off his lap. ]

Ellie, I have compiled more information concerning space and attached a short questionnaire to serve as your homework. Please contact me at your earliest convenience to collect your personalized astronomy file.

Comments

video | fleet encryption; private

[jirk]

Kinda, sorta-- [his tone becomes markedly less enthusiastic as he goes on, because it's a bold-faced lie. Eventually, he sighs.] No, not really. The recipes are Kyle's.

[He admits that like a kid who's just taken the very last cookie not just in the jar, but in the entire universe.]

video | fleet encryption; private

[dow]

[ An eyebrow arches at the unexpected revelation, but he merely nods. ]

I will accept them. Until later then, Jim.

video | fleet encryption; private

[jirk]

There's one more thing.

[He probably. Should have mentioned this sooner, but. He's been uncertain as to whether or not it's a good idea, around Spock.]

I think Khan's gone. I'd been getting regular reports from him and he's-- you know. Hadn't checked in in a while.

['So I went to his house and raided his arsenal' but shh.]

video | fleet encryption; private

[dow]

[ What. His entire demeanor changes, from confused and amiable to downright stern. ]

When did you plan on telling me this?

video | fleet encryption; private

[jirk]

[Flatly,]

It's not confirmed yet. I was planning on waiting until I knew a hundred percent, but tactically it's -- probably better if we're both aware. He's either gone to ground and is planning something we need to be on alert for, or he's not here any more. Apparently the Emperor can tell you if someone's-- you know. Gone-gone.

video | fleet encryption; private

[dow]

There was something in his possession that I do not feel it is safe to allow the general populace to discover if he is indeed gone. A compound named Dust. Do you know of it?

video | fleet encryption; private

[jirk]

The drug. Yeah. I've had my run-ins. How the hell'd he get his hands on it? I thought production was pretty much halted.

video | fleet encryption; private

[dow]

I do not know. We were discussing the mechanics of this nexus and he used it as a diversionary tactic.

video | fleet encryption; private

[jirk]

I've been to his suite. I told the kedan to leave it off, pretended it was a crime scene. Not my most inspired idea, but I think they'll stay away from it until they can sort things out with Evandau.

[He absolutely posed as a kedan policeman, are you even surprised.]

But that crap's dangerous, and we need to keep it off the streets if we can.

video | fleet encryption; private

[dow]

Why did you go there without informing me first when you were uncertain whether he had left?

video | fleet encryption; private

[jirk]

[Whoa, no. Jim's expression hardens.]

I've been dealing with Khan for months, Spock. I had him handled, and trust me, there's no way he would have laid a hand on me one way or another.

video | fleet encryption; private

[dow]

That is beside the point now that I am here. [ Does he need to point this out, Jim? He'll get McCoy on board if he has to. ] Captain, I expect to be informed of such events. As your First Officer, it is my duty to attend to your safety.

video | fleet encryption; private

[jirk]

And it's my duty to protect my crew. Which is what I was doing, for the record.

[omg stop questioning his judgements, Spock, you are going to hurt his feelings in a very real way!!]

video | fleet encryption; private

[dow]

[ Have hurt feelings then!! ]

You cannot protect the crew if no one protects you first. Please inform me if you intend to visit another genetically overpowered, psychotically imbalanced warlord in the future.

[ There, how does it sound like that. ]

video | fleet encryption; private

[jirk]

[Yeah he is definitely not telling Spock about the fact that Jim went and got violent all over Khan when the prior Spock left. Nope. That is. Going with him to the grave.]

Well there wasn't much crew around to protect at the time, so you'll have to excuse my oversight.

video | fleet encryption; private

[dow]

You are not excused.

There is yourself, Doctor McCoy, Ensign Chekov and myself. You are not expendable, Jim. You are the captain and most direly needed for the guidance you can offer. You are what ties the crew together, whether you realize this or not, and it is my duty to ensure that you survive in order to lead us home.

In any case, the point may be moot.

video | fleet encryption; private

[jirk]

[Sometimes, Spock is the singularly most frustrating person (Vulcan, whatever) he's ever known. And he really wants to just-- Jim makes an aggressive little gesture with one hand as that train of thought truncates abruptly. He doesn't even have words! For how much he hopes the next chair Spock sit in breaks! Or something! That's equally lesson-teaching and harmless because he'd never actually wish harm on Spock (they've faced it together, too many times) but. It's the principle of the thing.]

And what if I can't, Spock? What if I can't get us home? I have been here almost seven. Months. Seven! That's only a few months shy of how long I've even been a captain! Just-- will you lay off? I knew what I was doing, and I know it was the best choice at the time.

[Okay, he's done yelling. For now. He exhales sharply, and pinches the bridge of his nose.]

McCoy was the only one here when I made the deal anyway, it's not like I could renege on it when it would have put everyone who showed up after in danger.

[And, irritably,]

Besides. People come back from the dead here.

video | fleet encryption; private

[dow]

I do not care whether people return from the dead, I would much rather the experience was not theirs to begin with. You will find a way to lead us home, Jim. I will assist in this, as will the rest of the crew.

[ He's not going to shout, isn't going to sharpen his tone or clip his words. By contrast, they gets quieter and far less confrontational. ]

You will not be here for the next seven months without satisfactory support.

video | fleet encryption; private

[jirk]

[He sighs, and all the anger and fight goes out of him with it.]

I had support, Spock. It's not about support. I just hate being trapped.

video | fleet encryption; private

[dow]

[ Begs to differ but he doesn't do it out loud. There is no substitute for the crew, in his mind, much less that of the Enterprise. ]

You cannot go on hating or you will destroy your self-worth.

video | fleet encryption; private

[jirk]

[Flatly,]

My self-worth is fine.

[He presses a tension point just beside his nose, against the bone of his eye socket.]

What am I like in your time, Spock?

video | fleet encryption; private

[dow]

You are not unlike yourself as I know you now, albeit more comfortable with your position in command.

video | fleet encryption; private

[jirk]

[He snorts, shakes his head. After a moment, he forces himself to actually elaborate. This is Spock. Spock. Jim knows he can trust him, a million times over. What the hell could another perspective hurt?]

I'm at this weird point, I have no idea if Starfleet made me a captain because I deserved it, or because they wanted to hit a recruitment quota. Nothing creates buzz quite like the meteoric rise of charismatic 'from tragedy' story, you know? God, Spock-- I still can't get over Marcus. I believe in Starfleet. But I don't know if I can go back and trust the rest of the Admiralty, after that. I'm sick of being used.

video | fleet encryption; private

[dow]

You are the captain because you are a capable, intelligent individual with remarkable resourcefulness. You need not trust the admiralty entirely. I do not think it would be wise to, again. [ But. ] But you may trust your crew to know what they are doing when they put their faith in you, of that I am in no doubt.

No matter the state of Starfleet following the destruction caused by Nero and Khan, they do not promote the undeserving into power.

video | fleet encryption; private

[jirk]

Except for Marcus. Commodore Daniels. Hell, I wouldn't even put Robert April in the captain's chair, Spock. The amount of people in power that I'd actually trust to have my back is getting less by the day.

[He sighs, rubs a hand over his browbone.]

You're right about me. I know you are, I've seen it.

[In the future, which Spock already knows.]

I think that's the problem. 'Seeing it'. I'd probably feel better if I'd-- you know, lived through it all. When you watch things happen the way the Emperor shows you, it's like it's all happening to someone else, there's this seriously screwed-up disconnect.