[ it's been about a month since the enterprise took on their new... well, refugee is the term closest to accurate, jim guesses, in the way that all people who come unbidden and against their will from other timelines are refugees. and in the way how a romulan as un-romulan as narek is just inherently a refugee by default.
it's a learning curve on both ends, but jim's been hoping they've managed to skirt past the biggest elephant(s) in the room(s).
and for the most part, they have. there are some things they've been trying to work through still that he's sure are going to take time: members of the crew who let their gaze skate across and off of him because lingering means they'll have to acknowledge things they'd rather not, a couple of fired-up arguments. however, most of the crew steps in line thanks to the fact that if anyone could and should be a cunt to a random romulan, it'd be spock or jim kirk, both of whom are steadfast and pointed in their treatment of their guest.
('guest' is better than 'prisoner,' because while at no point have they indicated him to be such, the truth of the matter is that frankly, this is the only place in this universe other than some kind of grounded-on-planet political asylum where narek is going to be able to exist.)
a couple of weeks back, they'd gone through and dealt with the concept of lacking a grounding compass of identity in a space where the romulan's inherent makeup was something potentially unpalatable to others and they'd tried to figure out a balance between romulan and not-romulan while here. jim hopes it'd helped, at least. things've been okay since, or at least that's what he's figured.
today's not going great, though. jim waves spock off as they both step out of his ready room; he squeezes the vulcan's shoulder and shakes his head with a sigh. ]
Hell of a call to get when we're this far out, but I'll handle it. Take the conn while I'm busy.
[ he doesn't leave room for argument. much like how when he knocks on the door to narek's quarters and, after waiting for permission to enter, steps inside to sit on the sofa in the room, his demeanor screams 'unskippable conversation, pressing x will do nothing.' ]
On the scale of fun conversations this one's going to be low as hell, but neither of us have much of a choice in the matter and I want your involvement.
no subject
it's a learning curve on both ends, but jim's been hoping they've managed to skirt past the biggest elephant(s) in the room(s).
and for the most part, they have. there are some things they've been trying to work through still that he's sure are going to take time: members of the crew who let their gaze skate across and off of him because lingering means they'll have to acknowledge things they'd rather not, a couple of fired-up arguments. however, most of the crew steps in line thanks to the fact that if anyone could and should be a cunt to a random romulan, it'd be spock or jim kirk, both of whom are steadfast and pointed in their treatment of their guest.
('guest' is better than 'prisoner,' because while at no point have they indicated him to be such, the truth of the matter is that frankly, this is the only place in this universe other than some kind of grounded-on-planet political asylum where narek is going to be able to exist.)
a couple of weeks back, they'd gone through and dealt with the concept of lacking a grounding compass of identity in a space where the romulan's inherent makeup was something potentially unpalatable to others and they'd tried to figure out a balance between romulan and not-romulan while here. jim hopes it'd helped, at least. things've been okay since, or at least that's what he's figured.
today's not going great, though. jim waves spock off as they both step out of his ready room; he squeezes the vulcan's shoulder and shakes his head with a sigh. ]
Hell of a call to get when we're this far out, but I'll handle it. Take the conn while I'm busy.
[ he doesn't leave room for argument. much like how when he knocks on the door to narek's quarters and, after waiting for permission to enter, steps inside to sit on the sofa in the room, his demeanor screams 'unskippable conversation, pressing x will do nothing.' ]
On the scale of fun conversations this one's going to be low as hell, but neither of us have much of a choice in the matter and I want your involvement.