Well, this is sort of a 'Please don't Kill me!" gift to those of you who are reading Better this Way. I'm such a liar, I said a couple of weeks, and it's been months! But good news, I've finished the chapter, and am just doing some final revisions before I post, so it shouldn't be too terribly long now. And its over 5,000 words now, so please don't hack me to pieces.
This is something I just threw together in a couple of hours the other night, and is Un-beta-ed except for my spell check and my own eye (Which is often faulty) so if you spot any mistakes please let me know and I'll fix it! So, on with the show, I guess. If you liked (or if you didn't) please review and let me know, and if anyone wants me to do another about these two unlikely acquaintances, tell me and I'll see what I can do :)
Two of a Kind
Two men sat by one another in a dingy bar, careful not to meet each others gaze. "So," the younger of the two started, "What brings a man such as yourself to a sleazy, rundown bar such as this?"
The older man rolled a bottle cap around between his fingertips, seemingly preoccupied. He responded none the less, more out of curiosity then politeness. And besides, it had been so long since he had participated in intelligent conversation. Perhaps this specimen could provide the relief he so desperately craved. "I have no other place in which to go. What brings a man such as yourself to a sleazy, rundown bar such as this?"
The younger man ran his hands through his soft blond hair, smirking slightly. "Caught a glimpse of a long forgotten face on the news this morning. I've come to drown my sorrows before I head back to good ol' terra firma."
The other man sighed quietly. "I am here for a similar reason. I would rather not face my family in light of recent events." He brushed his deep black hair behind his ears to reveal their pointed tips.
"Oh. You're a Vulcan. I-I'm sorry about your planet."
"Your apologies are appreciated, though unnecessary. I am Vulcan only by blood, not principal nor association. They ostracized me, even my own father."
The younger man frowned. "Still, I'm sorry."
"Hmm."
The silence became awkward for a moment before the Vulcan spoke up again. "Why exactly do you wish to stall your return to Earth? Is it not your place of origin, your homeland?"
The blond threw a small half smile towards the Vulcan while maintaining his forward stare. It was partially covered by the young man's matted hair, but it was still noticeable with acute peripheral vision. "Frankly, I don't want to face my brother. Haven't spoken to the kid in over fifteen years, and he's not exactly a kid anymore. And I practically abandoned him. I left that dust ball and never looked back. I guess I regret that now, but I had to go. I needed to find…meaning.
"Have you succeeded?"
The human quickly raised his eyebrows in a self-depreciating expression of mock humor. "Nope. Don't think I ever will at the rate in which things are presently progressing." He waited for the Vulcan to tell his story, as he knew the man inevitably would.
"I was banished from Vulcan because I refused to fully suppress my emotions. I was ruled a bad influence on my peers and the upcoming generations and given the option of being restricted to the driest deserts on the planet and retain my citizenship or being banned from the planet completely with no possibility of redemption. I chose the latter, and having learned of the recent tragedy, am extremely glad I did so."
The blond nodded slightly. "So it seems as if we're in the same boat here."
"So it seems."
"Maybe we should stick together then. Misery does love company."
The Vulcan appeared to consider this for a moment before shaking his head minutely. "I do not believe I am a person whom which you would wish to associate yourself. My person is…undesirable."
The human snorted. "Can't be much worse then me. Thanks to recent events, a likeness similar to my own can be seen across the galaxy. People notice the resemblance, they comment all the time. Makes me feel like essence of shit."
"The same is true for me."
…
"Well then, us defects should stick together."
"Defects?"
"Yeah. Y'know. It's an old Terran term for someone who would leave their motherland to be apart of another country or sometimes to just be on their own without the influence of the government. Thought it'd apply here."
"It does indeed. It seems we have both abandoned our home by our own choice, to seek a life with substance."
Looking up at the Vulcan for the first time, the blondie continued. "It seems we have. Maybe if we maintain familiarity in the form of close and frequent association, we can achieve substance."
The Vulcan looked up as well, meeting the gaze of the foreigner. His eyes widened a little as he recognized the countenance. The Human's eyes widened as well, then morphed into an grin as recognition set in. "You are…"
"Samuel Kirk, at your service," He threw a jerky mock salute as he sipped from a beer he had pulled from a waitresses' tray. "And you are?"
"I am called Sybok."
"Nice to meet you Sybok. Looks like we've both got some pri-tee high standards to live up to, huh?" Kirk reached across the bar and held out his beer.
Sybok frowned then glanced at one of the many screens around the bar as they broadcasted immortalized faces of Acting Captain James Kirk and First Officer Spock. A soft sigh escaped his lips and he took the bottle into this hands. Placing the rim to his lips, he took a long swig of the bitter liquid then wiped his wrist across his mouth. "We do indeed."