Author's Note: Written for the comment_fic prompt: Star Trek (any series), any, watching Shakespeare's Hamlet in the original Klingon.
Klingon text taken from Memory Alpha.
Not So Different
"taH pagh taHbe'. DaH mu'tlheghvam vIqelnIS."
"What are you watching?"
Kirk starts at the calm tone, whirling round to see Spock standing in the doorway. He frowns. It's rare that Spock manages to sneak up on him like that. He must have been more caught up in the film than he thought.
"Computer, pause recording," he says, as Spock leaves the doorway and comes over to him.
Spock glances at the screen and raises an eyebrow. "I see I was not imagining the sound of Klingon," he says. "May I ask why you are watching a Klingon film?"
"It's a performance of Hamlet," Kirk replies. "I remembered what Gorkon said, and I thought, well, I might as well give it a shot." He gestures at the screen. "This seemed easier than trying to read it."
"Indeed," Spock replies. He sits down next to Kirk, on the edge of the bed. "And how are you finding it?"
Kirk shrugs. "From what I can gather they've taken some… liberties with the plot, but overall it's not bad." He stares at the screen, where a Klingon in what he assumes is their version of period dress stands frozen with his arms outstretched. "It's strange to think we're not so different," he says, more to himself than to Spock.
"Finding commonality within even the most diverse of cultures is the principle the Federation was founded on," Spock replies, and Kirk nods.
"I think I lost sight of that for a while," he says. "Too consumed with bitterness and revenge." His hands clench into fists, and he feels Spock's fingers begin to stroke through his hair in an attempt to calm him.
"Your reaction was understandable," Spock tells him quietly. "You were in pain. And when it mattered you were able to put your feelings aside and do what was right. You should be proud of that."
"I did what had to be done," Kirk replies, uncomfortable with the praise. Spock continues stroking his hair and he begins to relax, leaning into the touch. "I still can't believe the lengths Admiral Cartwright and the others were willing to go to sabotage things," he says. "Humans and Klingons working together to ruin any chance of them doing so again. It's almost poetic."
"Many people fear change," Spock notes. "And this is a particularly big change, even if it is objectively for the better."
"Mmm," Kirk agrees. He stretches slightly and adds, "You know, I read that there were people who argued against the founding of the Federation, claiming that it would never last. And now look at us. Maybe in a hundred years people will look back and wonder how we ever thought making peace with the Klingons could be a bad thing."
"Perhaps," Spock replies.
Kirk leans against him tiredly, resting his head on Spock's shoulder. "I hope so," he says.
He glances back at the screen, where the Klingon actor is still frozen in mid soliloquy, and feels a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "So, Mister Spock," he says. "Care for some Klingon Hamlet?"
He feels, more than sees, Spock's amusement. "I would not be averse to that."
Allowing the smile to spread over his face, Kirk orders the computer to continue. Peace in our time.
Maybe it's not such a strange idea after all.