Chapter 5B: "Festina lente"
Spock had been tense lately (since he found out about the new mission, in fact). When Jim asked one day before they reached Star Base 5 for permission to at least greet the Ambassador, Spock did the unthinkable. He denied Jim's request, and when he insisted at least five times (that day), the Vulcan literally said 'I have denied your petition eleven times already, and if I must, as my post allows me, I forbid you to go near the Transporter room'. He forbade Jim from being there! Jim had no idea why Spock even cared if he was near the Ambassador, but perhaps he knew that the only way to stop Jim from asking again was to pull rank on him. Of course, Jim got stubborn after hearing the word 'forbid'. Nobody, and he meant nobody, forbade anything to him. He wasn't stupid enough to say this out loud to Spock though; he just smiled tightly and nodded, acting like the good Commander he was supposed to be, trying to conceal that he was pissed.
Boy, was the Vulcan in for a big surprise.
Jim knew that if he wanted Spock to behave less… snappy, to choose a word other than 'batshit insane', he was going to need Bones' help. Unfortunately, his friend wasn't as cooperative as he would have liked.
"As I told you the last fifteen times you asked, no, I won't be in the Transporter room to entertain old and sneaky Spock." Bones sighed. "I don't get why you want me there; I'm hardly part of his fan club. I have enough trouble tolerating one Spock, thank you very much."
"Bones, he forbade me from being there! Don't you think that's weird?" Jim tried to reason with his friend.
"No. Actually, it makes sense. He doesn't want you to embarrass him; if it were me, I'd lock you up until the old Vulcan was gone. But nobody listens to my suggestions anymore."
"This goes beyond that; he acts like something terrible could happen if I just say an innocent 'hi' to the Ambassador! He has no right; I can greet whoever I want." And no, Jim wasn't pouting.
"I doubt it will be an 'innocent hi'. Anyway, this isn't high school, Jim," Bones said resignedly. "He's your superior, and even if your hobby is pissing off those who outrank you, let me remind you what happened last time you defied this particular Vulcan."
"He wouldn't strangle me again… I think." Jim was sure that this situation couldn't be so extreme that Spock would lose it and try to kill him. However, something inside of him told him it could be a close thing. "Besides, he'll be less pissed if you're there."
"Yeah, because he likes me so much. Jim, contrary to popular belief, I don't do what you tell me, I actually obey my superiors no matter how annoying and constipated they are." Bones pinched the bridge of his nose. "You're obsessing."
"I'm not!" Jim huffed. He totally was, but he wasn't going to admit that. "I already told you, Starfleet code establishes that you need diplomatic training."
"I don't see any other Medical Officers training in diplomacy. I patch people up, Jim; I'm well known for my lack of 'people skills' like you kids say."
"Sure, you're an ass, but that still doesn't change the fact that it's written in the code, therefore you aren't breaking any rules and Spock can't refuse because the Starfleet code is like the bible for him."
"Nice try." Bones shook his head. "You know, kid? If you applied all this smartass attitude to actually obeying orders, you could be the damn Captain of this vessel already."
"Please Bones? I want to be there. I want to say hi, and be able to –" Jim closed his mouth quickly, but it was too late; Bones had already his suspicious look.
"Be able to what?" Bones asked.
Jim blushed. How was he supposed to explain that he had a million questions he wanted to ask the Ambassador about where his life went wrong? He needed to know. Even if deep down he blamed George's death, he had to know if he could fix things enough to at least become similar to the Kirk the Ambassador loved so much. He wanted to be that person, to inspire that kind of devotion, respect and love. He was tired of being just the lucky idiot; he wanted to be worth enough for people to accept him.
God, he was pathetic.
"I'll be there," Bones finally said. He probably noticed the somber look in Jim's eyes.
"Thank you," Jim said without making a fuss.
Jim knew it was silly. He had done a lot of work on his self-esteem issues over the years, but still, if he had the chance to ask how could he be different, or a better version of himself, who wouldn't take that opportunity? It wasn't like he would change everything; just enough to be more successful and be good enough for Spock.
Wait… what? Where that thought came from? Be good enough for Spock? His mind must have slipped; he didn't mean just Spock, he meant anyone. Yes, he meant it as a generality. Since Spock was the hardest to please, if Jim could manage to do it, that would be a victory. He didn't care about being good enough for Spock, why would he care? It wasn't like Spock was important or anything. He was a friend… sort of. This was driving him crazy!
Hopefully it would end as soon as the Ambassador beamed up to the ship. For now, he explained his plan to Bones, who only smiled and shook his head. Well, he was crazy, that wasn't a big secret anyway. They had two hours before they reached Star Base 5… and it was time to interrupt a certain Vulcan's lunch.
Spock looked at his bowl of soup without feeling any appetite whatsoever. He was still remorseful about the events that unfolded the day before, when Mister Kirk asked for the eleventh time if he could be present when the Ambassador arrived. No matter what response Spock provided, assertive or cold, Kirk kept asking until Spock's control snapped. He forbade Kirk from being there to make his point clear, but on second thought, perhaps that was completely out of place. The Commander had not said anything, just nodded curtly and left the Conference room without a second glance. Spock regretted saying those words. He had the authority to command certain actions, but he had sounded more like a chastising parent than the Captain of a Starship, and that made him feel uneasy. He could have asked for Kirk to stop his behavior and made it clear that he was not to be in the transporter room, yet he failed to communicate those thoughts and summarized them with 'I forbid you from going near the Transporter room', which was not only patronizing, but childish. He could admit that now, after meditating on the events. It unnerved him how he frequently forgot to be logical when he was with Kirk, particularly when the Commander elicited a strong emotional response from him. Spock had the distinct feeling that Kirk enjoyed acting obtuse and ignorant, asking things several times while knowing he would get the same answer, just to rile Spock. And he succeeded if that was his goal.
"Penny for your thoughts," he heard Nyota say. He saw that she was sitting in front of him, smiling.
"I apologize. My mind was elsewhere," Spock said automatically.
"Yeah, you've been saying that a lot lately," Nyota chuckled.
"Mister Kirk said the same thing." Spock tilted his head.
"Speaking of the devil, why aren't you two having lunch together? It's Wednesday."
"He excused himself to go with Doctor McCoy. I believe he is displeased with me."
"Jim? I doubt he's angry at, you Spock. Unless you did something?"
"I forbade him from being in the Transporter room when the Vulcan Ambassador arrived," Spock said quickly. He could use Nyota's insight; she was human and his friend, she could be objective.
"In the literal sense?"
"Correct."
"You said the word 'forbid'?"
"Affirmative."
"Wow." This was not the response Spock had expected. "You're right, he must be pissed at you."
It made him feel worse to hear this from another person.
"You know, Spock? I don't know what the deal is with you and Kirk," said Nyota, sounding bemused.
"I do not understand your meaning." Spock lifted his eyebrow.
"I don't know what baffles me more… Jim being so pushy about this Ambassador, wanting to meet him like he's a rock star or something, or you, trying to keep him from spending time with the Ambassador. It's almost like you think Jim would embarrass you or something." Nyota looked at Spock doubtfully. "Are you afraid of Jim embarrassing you?"
It was preposterous. How could Mister Kirk embarrass Spock, when he himself had disgraced his Vulcan heritage by losing control when his mother passed away? It was implausible that Vulcans would fail to notice how disappointing his behavior had been, even though his father had not mentioned anything. In addition, he doubted the Commander could discomfit him; he was an outstanding individual, intriguing and hard to decipher, but certainly not a cause for any sort of shame.
"Mister Kirk would not embarrass me under any circumstances," Spock said curtly, almost feeling affronted by the insinuation.
"I didn't mean to offend you," Nyota said, sounding apologetic. "I'm just trying to make some sense out of this. What's your problem, then? Why Kirk can't at least greet the Ambassador?"
Why indeed? Spock had tried to explain this logically to himself. The reasons he had listed so far were: one, the Ambassador was an interloper who didn't belong here, and Kirk would not benefit from such company; two, Spock would need to be with the Ambassador to keep him safe and Kirk must be in charge while he was absent; three, Spock said so, which was the most irrational of all. In the end, the most important reason was the fourth: Spock did not want Kirk spending time with the Ambassador and lose him.
But how could he explain this to Nyota without sounding unreasonable?
He did not have to. Mister Kirk chose that moment to interrupt their meal, and while Spock felt a pang of uncertainty, he was mostly glad this conversation was being interrupted. Doctor McCoy was there too. This should be interesting.
"So, Captain, what time do you want us in the transporter room?" Jim asked casually.
He knew the Vulcan would be furious with his defiance, but he didn't mind. He could get in line, most people found his defiance annoying. He glanced at Uhura and dared to wink at her.
"Oh, don't drag me into this." Uhura laughed. "No winking at me, Mister."
"I was trying to be nice," Jim said cheerfully.
"Commander Kirk, I believe we have a misunderstanding," Spock said coldly.
"No, I don't think we have. Bones will exercise his right to be present at diplomatic events, as Starfleet code section six, subsection four stipulates. If you don't remember, I could –"
"I am familiar with the Starfleet code," Spock snapped, and Jim stepped back a little, trying to get out of Spock's reach.
"Bones needs diplomatic training in case both of us are incapacitated," Jim continued his argument. "He's the CMO after all, and he really needs to get more involved in these kind of things. Also, you must remember that it's highly recommended that if we can train our officers in peaceful situations, both the Captain and the Second in Command should be present to avoid any unpleasant events if things do, in fact, turn dangerous."
"And Doctor McCoy agrees in to start his 'diplomatic training' right at this exact moment?" Spock asked, sounding very sarcastic. Who said Vulcans couldn't pull off the whole mocking tone? Spock was rocking that.
"Not really," Bones muttered, and Jim elbowed him. "I mean, yes, no time like the present. After all, I love Vulcans."
They all stared at Bones, including Uhura. He'd gone a little overboard with his enthusiasm.
"What?" Bones grumbled. "Too much?"
"I cannot help but wonder, Doctor McCoy: out of all the diplomatic assignments the Enterprise has had, why would you choose this one in particular?" Spock kept his eyes on Jim even when he was asking Bones. Jim tried to maintain his ground without trembling.
"I'm right here." Bones waved his hand to make Spock look at him. "And do I need to remind you that every diplomatic situation y'all have had before ended up with Jim getting hurt somehow or you shrinking into a kid? At least this one is on the ship, so I will be in my comfort zone. I don't want my internal organs misplaced for beaming down to hostile planets."
That made sense. Jim couldn't believe Bones was actually helping him with this situation.
"I told you, it's totally safe." Jim smiled.
"Yeah? The Captain's heart is on the side of his body, how can we be sure that that wasn't caused by beaming too much?" Bones defied.
"Doctor McCoy, I must remind you of the differences in anatomy and physiology between Vulcans and Humans –"
"Yeah, it was a joke, Captain. Learn to distinguish tone," Bones complained.
"Good one," Uhura piped in, earning a glare from Spock and a smirk from Jim.
"So… what time, Spock?" Jim pressed. Spock knew that if he said that they weren't allowed to be in the transporter room after this, he would have to explain why, and Jim was dying to hear the reason why Spock was acting like a mad Vulcan and forbidding stupid things.
They all waited patiently until Spock finished glaring at his bowl of soup that probably had olives in it. He hated olives, yet the food replicator kept putting them in everything he ordered, as part of a crusade to persuade him to let Jim fix the damn things without any bitching on Spock's part. If this worked out fine, maybe Spock would let him handle the big machines afterwards.
"Although I believe your timing is extremely inconvenient, I concede your argument. According to Mister Sulu, we should reach Star Base 5 in fifty five point ten minutes; Lieutenant Uhura will inform both of you when you should be there. Is that acceptable?"
Spock looked straight at Jim again. He was probably angry about him bending the rules (again) to his advantage, but at least he hadn't said no this time.
"Of course Captain, anything you say. Enjoy the olives. Let's go, Bones."
"I've told you, I'm not your dog." Bones glared at Jim, but followed him anyway because he wasn't staying with Spock, who would be in a foul mood after the stunt Jim just pulled.
Jim fought the impulse to glance back to see Spock's reaction; that would totally kill his triumph. He couldn't believe he'd actually managed to get Spock to agree to something he had fought against for the past two days. He looked at Bones instead, and noticed his friend looking at him with uncertainty.
"What?" Jim said, feeling paranoid. "I thought it worked up fine, right?"
"Sure. You knew it would; the Vulcan had no excuse for banning you from the Transporter room, even less when you used the Starfleet code," Bones sneered.
"So? What's the problem?"
"That Spock had no excuse for banning you… but you don't have an excuse for your behavior either; and Spock will ask you why you're insisting on seeing the old and sneaky Vulcan. Have you thought about what you will tell him?"
"I'll improvise," Jim shrugged. It didn't worry him; he doubted that Spock would care. He probably didn't want Jim near the Ambassador because he was afraid Jim would screw up, and when he saw that Jim would, in fact, be behaving exceptionally well, he would be pleased and they could move on from this insanity.
Bones just scoffed disapprovingly, but he didn't say anything else. He would let Jim handle things and Jim hoped things would go smoothly instead of coming back and biting him in the ass.
Spock was perplexed. After all his efforts to keep Mister Kirk away from the Ambassador, the Commander had somehow managed to beat him at his own game. Deep down Spock admired this remarkable quality Kirk possessed: he did not know the meaning of the word 'no'. He worked and pushed until he got what he wanted, and in this case Spock was forced to acquiesce as Kirk had used Starfleet regulations, which Spock would never have expected him to know in such detail. Clearly Mister Kirk was an expert at feigning ignorance, and he remembered what he had said repeatedly in the past: 'not my fault if they think I'm dumb'. Spock had underestimated him again.
He was conflicted between feeling affronted or proud of the Commander's tenacity. If Spock did not take into account Mister Kirk's stubbornness, he was the only one to blame for the situation. And he could admit he was defeated, at least at the moment. He could still prevent Kirk from spending time with the Ambassador; he just had to reorganize his strategy.
"So… this round goes to Jim, then?" Nyota said after a prolonged silence.
"Indeed." Spock tilted his head.
Spock would make sure the Commander did not defeat him again.
Jim was nervous. Really, really, really nervous. Uhura had commed to let him know that they were reaching Star Base 5 in a few minutes. He left Sulu in charge and went to pick up Bones to make sure he was presentable as well. He felt like he had to make this visit perfect; he was probably losing his mind over this situation, but nobody could say he wasn't following the family tradition. Spock was probably already in the Transporter room, since he never returned to the Bridge after lunch. He excused himself saying he had to prepare 'paperwork'. Jim knew it was a big fat lie, but he couldn't point that out; the Vulcan was probably still pissed at Jim, and needed time to cool off. And Jim wasn't stupid, he would let Spock take his time before he nagged him again.
"Would you stop already? You have Spock's blessing, no need to be all edgy," Bones chastised him.
"It's just… I'm going to see the Ambassador!" God, he sounded ridiculous.
"Yeah; how exciting," Bones said sarcastically. "Just don't throw your panties at him or ask him to sign your boobs."
"Funny." Jim glared. Bones didn't get why this meant so much to Jim. He barely got why this was so important to him; he couldn't ask for a little sympathy from Bones, who sucked at that even at his best moments.
Jim took a deep breath. Bones was right anyway, he needed to act professional and calm, or Spock would have a valid excuse to ban him from anything related to the Ambassador's visit. He had to behave and prove Spock wrong. And also prove to the Ambassador that he was Captain material, he just needed an opportunity. He could be like the other Kirk if people would just back off and let him handle things.
When they entered the Transporter room, Jim saw Spock standing at a prudent distance from the platform, while Scotty was smiling widely.
"Commander Captain! You made it!" Scotty said happily.
"Of course, Scotty." Jim winked.
"I'm getting nauseated here," said Bones.
"We have established contact with the Ambassador," Spock added. "Mister Scott?"
"Yes, sir." Scotty became solemn as Spock requested when he informed the crew of the mission. He made it clear that everyone was bound to show proper behavior and manners during the Ambassador's time on the Enterprise. In other words: No fun whatsoever.
Jim started fidgeting, waiting for the Ambassador to appear. What should he say? Should he wait for Spock to make small talk? He didn't want to upset him more than he already had, but he wasn't sure he could contain his excitement at seeing the Ambassador in person.
If he was sure he could get away with it, he was going to give the old man a big, tight hug.
"Maybe we should have beamed down to be more polite," Jim said, trying to sound casual.
"The Ambassador is aware of Starfleet protocol. Beaming down when we are expecting company aboard is a waste of time," Spock said frostily.
"Yeah, my book on diplomacy training stipulates that in order to be a good host, you must wait for company, not seek it like a creepy stalker," Bones added.
Jim glared at his friend, knowing pretty well he was just trying to screw things up for him. Spock also seemed surprised that Bones had read a book on diplomacy.
"Beaming the Ambassador up, Captain," Scotty announced.
While the Ambassador appeared, Jim decided he would act as if he was just another guest on the Enterprise. He would act normal and polite, like Spock wanted.
Of course in the moment Jim actually saw the Ambassador, the big, goofy smile on his face was hard to get rid of.
"Ambassador, it is a pleasure to have you aboard the Enterprise," Spock said soberly, doing the Vulcan salute.
The Ambassador smiled at Jim, and everything he had planned so far went to hell. He beamed at him excitedly.
"It is a pleasure to be here, Captain," the Ambassador said, imitating Spock's salute.
"I shall make the proper introductions. As you are familiar with Commander Kirk," Jim was probably imagining Spock's mocking tone, "I do not see the necessity of introducing you again. Doctor Leon –"
"No need to introduce me either, Captain," Bones interrupted. "We've met."
Jim felt his entire body going rigid. Oh, no. No, no, no, no. Bones wouldn't do this, he wouldn't spill everything, right? He looked at the Ambassador in fear; he only inclined his head, and Jim probably imagined the 'trust him' he heard in his head. Great, now he was hallucinating as well.
"Oh?" Spock looked at Bones questioningly.
"Yes. I talked to him to know if he needed any medical treatment or if we needed special medical equipment. I'm not familiar with the Ambassador's medical chart, and I asked Commander Kirk about it; he said I could call him. Didn't he tell you?" Bones, to his credit, sounded completely genuine. Jim knew better. The bastard had just set a trap for him. He couldn't say no, and there was no way Spock wouldn't be pissed about this. It was another item for the 'Kirk is an insubordinate asshole' list.
"I'm sorry Captain, it slipped my mind. Doctor McCoy requested to call the Ambassador to familiarize himself with any medical necessities, but you were meditating and I didn't want to interrupt. I didn't see anything wrong, so I allowed it," Jim explained quickly. Man, that lie came to mind really fast. He ruled at creating wild stories, just ask Pike.
"It was rather considerate of Doctor McCoy," the Ambassador added, perhaps to ease the blow Spock would probably throw at Jim for being insubordinate.
"Of course," Spock said tightly. "Doctor McCoy is the best in his field, after all."
Jim exchanged looks with Bones, who only lifted his eyebrow and mouthed 'kiss ass'.
"Then I shall introduce our chief of Engineering, Mister Montgomery Scott," Spock said, ending the proper introductions.
The Ambassador looked at Scotty fondly, and the Scotsman bowed lightly and smirked. Spock was the only one in that room who was a stranger to the Ambassador.
"It is an honor to meet you," the Ambassador said solemnly. "I hope not to cause any difficulties with my presence."
"None at all," Jim said quickly, surprising Bones, Spock and the Ambassador. His mouth, as he had thought endless times before, had a life of its own.
"Given that the Enterprise has been used as a diplomatic ship lately, your presence is not surprising, Ambassador," Bones said.
"Oh?" The Ambassador tilted his head.
"I doubt the Ambassador is interested in intergalactic politics or the missions Starfleet decides to assign to this vessel," Spock added in a cold tone. Apparently he was still having his Vulcan PMS.
"I'm just following protocol," Bones said, glaring at Jim and clearly meaning 'you'll pay for this'.
"To keep things short: Welcome, Ambassador," Jim cut into the potential discussion.
"Thank you, Commander," the Ambassador said, sounding amused.
Jim smiled. Well, at least no blood had been shed yet. Jim counted this as a success.
Spock did not know what to expect from McCoy when he volunteered to greet the Ambassador to train his diplomatic skills. The doctor was formal and used all the pointers the book suggested (though Spock was 75% certain that McCoy had not read the book once before this day), but what disturbed Spock more was Commander Kirk's attitude. While McCoy was formal, and Mister Scott relaxed (in all honesty, Mister Scott was often relaxed regardless of the situation, it was an admirable quality in a human), Kirk was overjoyed; and it had to be a very strong emotion if Spock could sense it even without touching him. Mister Kirk was almost beaming with delight. The Ambassador's reaction was even more distressing. He seemed to react to Kirk's enjoyment and directed warm glances at him. This was unsettling for Spock, as he could not command Kirk to stop smiling, nor he could ask the Ambassador to stop looking at Mister Kirk.
Sometimes being Captain could be rather limiting.
He waited while McCoy gave the customary explanation of the Admiralty's expectations for this meeting; Spock was also surprised that McCoy had actually read the briefing Nyota sent to the crew, repeating the information Commander Kirk and he had agreed to share with the crew almost word for word. It made Spock think of a parrot; this illogical train of thought should not be as amusing as Spock secretly found it to be. As he glanced at Commander Kirk, he was bemused when he noticed him smiling at him, almost like he was reading his mind. Kirk mouthed 'He deserves a cookie', which made Spock feel a small thrill inside, knowing that he and the Commander were not so different after all. He inclined his head as an agreement, and Kirk laughed.
"What?" McCoy asked crossly, interrupting his own explanation.
"Oh, nothing Bones, you're… very professional." Mister Kirk chuckled. "From 1 to 10, how do you think our CMO did with the whole diplomacy thing, Ambassador?"
"Doctor McCoy has shown an exemplary conduct." The Ambassador smiled, which made Spock feel uncomfortable. All the ease he was starting to regain with Kirk evaporated the moment Kirk directed his attention back to the Ambassador. It made Spock think of how he disliked it when his father monopolized his mother; it bothered him deeply to have to share her. However, he had been a child, it was a somewhat expected behavior as his human half had certain needs at that particular stage. He was now an adult, a Vulcan and most of all, Mister Kirk had no obligation towards Spock. And it disturbed him that he wished he had.
"That will be all, Ambassador," Doctor McCoy said, interrupting the little moment the Commander and the Ambassador were sharing; Spock felt a new appreciation for the good doctor. "If you have any questions, Commander Kirk here will be delighted to answer them."
On a second thought, McCoy was always infuriating.
"I appreciate your time, Doctor McCoy." The Ambassador bowed lightly.
"May I retire, Captain? I'm needed in Sickbay." McCoy looked at Spock.
"Of course, Doctor McCoy," Spock said. "I expect a full report about your experience in diplomatic events, as well a detailed description on anything you believe could help improve the Enterprise's approach to this kind of assignment."
McCoy glared at Mister Kirk, who only smiled sympathetically.
"Yes, Captain," McCoy said, annoyed. "Welcome aboard, Ambassador." McCoy gave a nod of the head, and entered the turbolift without waiting for any other comment.
Spock glanced at Commander Kirk, noticing how he had moved closer to the Ambassador. Perhaps it was time to dismiss Mister Kirk as well; it was not appropriate to leave the Bridge without a commanding officer for long lengths of time.
"Mister Kirk, if you do not mind, I would like you to return to the Bridge. I can get the Ambassador settled into his quarters, and I shall show him our different departments in order to fulfill our diplomatic duties as hosts," Spock said neutrally, knowing that Kirk wouldn't dare disobey a direct order.
"Certainly, Captain." Kirk said, still smiling. Spock noticed the tension around his lips. "It has been a pleasure, as always, Ambassador."
As always? Spock thought they had only spoken once before this encounter, yet Mister Kirk sounded like they had been communicating for an extensive amount of time. He must be reading too much into the statement, there was no way Mister Kirk and the Ambassador could have known each other before this assignment.
However, looking at the Ambassador's smile, Spock started to doubt that.
"If you aren't too tired from all the excitement of being on the best ship in the whole fleet, maybe we could have dinner?"
Spock turned his head quickly after hearing Mister Kirk. He tried to disguise his surprise – not that it would have mattered, as Kirk was not paying him any attention.
"It would be my pleasure, Commander." The Ambassador smiled at him, again. Spock was feeling a small pang in his stomach.
"Great!" Kirk beamed. He never smiled this widely when Spock talked to him, or when they had dinner together. "Then I'll pick you up as soon as my shift finishes; I'm sure you'll enjoy the view."
"Commander –" Spock stopped himself from saying something like 'I forbid you to have dinner with this intruder and order you to stop flirting shamelessly with him'. Mister Kirk was just saying things in the same cheerful tone he used with all his acquaintances. Spock did not need to find something less blunt to say, as Commander Kirk spoke at that moment.
"On my way to the Bridge, Captain," Kirk said willingly, which also bothered Spock since two point ten minutes ago the Commander had looked affronted at being ordered back to his post. "Welcome aboard, Ambassador. I know you have heard this from everyone you have met so far, but rest assured, we are delighted to have you on the Enterprise."
Spock had to restrain himself from saying that 'we' better mean McCoy and Kirk, as Spock was feeling anything but delighted about having the Ambassador aboard. In fact, he would have greatly preferred his Father to be chosen for this mission; as uncomfortable as that would have been, Spock would at least know what to expect. Between Kirk's exuberance and the Ambassador's slyness he was at loss as to the correct course of action. Kirk nodded at Spock and entered the turbo lift, leaving Spock clueless about what to do now.
As Nyota would say: this round also went to Mister Kirk.
Spock walked the Ambassador around the hallways, explaining what he was instructed to do according to Starfleet code. Guests on ships should be introduced to the basic knowledge of said ship in case of emergencies and also as a matter of courtesy. Spock did not feel exactly like the chivalrous type at the moment, but he knew he was responsible for getting the Ambassador settled and comfortable on the Enterprise, and he knew better than let his emotions interfere with his role as Captain.
"The Enterprise is as formidable as I remembered. Of course, different in its own way, but formidable nevertheless," the Ambassador said fondly, causing a pang in Spock's stomach again.
"I am sure," Spock said dryly. "You seemed rather comfortable with Commander Kirk".
Spock had not planned to say this out loud, and he could see the surprise in the Ambassador's eyes.
"He is a very even-tempered being," the Ambassador said, smiling.
"Indeed." Spock knew he should stop pushing the subject and just let the Ambassador settle in his quarters, but the irrational part of him (the human side, unfortunately) won the battle of wills. "However he was very eager to have you aboard, and I was wondering if Mister Kirk had any particular reason to feel excited for your visit."
The Ambassador tilted his head, almost like he was confused about Spock's meaning. He surely could not be this dense, it was clear, even to him, that he and Kirk had some sort of rapport that was uncommon for two beings barely familiar with each other.
"Certainly he is excited about the mission, regardless of my presence," the Ambassador said, sounding very patronizing to Spock's ears. "He is being polite as his post demands; I am familiar with the particularities of said post."
Spock could sense a note of disapproval in the Ambassador's tone. It was not Spock's fault that Kirk did not get the Captaincy of the Enterprise, and besides, the Ambassador had no right to condemn the situation.
"Being a Commander is not an easy task," the Ambassador added. "Perhaps I could give Mister Kirk a few pointers in order to –"
"Perhaps you should focus on the mission assigned, which is to be a representative of the Vulcan Culture, instead of meddling in situations that are not of your concern," Spock interrupted the Ambassador, trying to maintain control. He did not know if the Ambassador was being sincere, or if he just was testing Spock's emotional control, but he had enough of this mind game.
"Rest assured, Captain, I will do my best to improve our diplomatic relations." The Ambassador bowed lightly, almost looking submissive. It was in this moment when Spock noticed the clipped tone he had used and his defensive posture.
"I imagine you need to rest; I shall leave you in the privacy of your quarters. If you need anything, Yeoman Sanders is in charge of attending you during your stay on the Enterprise. If you will excuse me."
Vulcans did not need to rest during the day, Spock and the Ambassador knew this, but apparently they both silently agreed that putting a certain distance between them was best at the moment. If he wanted to maintain control during this mission, he was going to need to increase his meditation schedule.
Jim was waiting for Spock to blow up about the dinner with the Ambassador. He noticed how tense the Vulcan was as soon as he entered the Bridge; it almost made him fear for the Ambassador's safety. But Spock was first and foremost a Vulcan, and he knew how to control his temper (as long as the topic didn't involve Amanda Grayson). Moreover, the Ambassador and Spock were basically the same, he doubted that old Spock would do anything to upset his Spock (young Spock, this Spock… whatever).
"The Ambassador liked the Enterprise?" Jim dared to ask, hoping not to upset him more.
Spock looked at Jim with a sort of blankness, which scared him. He wasn't going to attack him here, right? (It would be a very bad déjà vu).
"Spock?" Jim tried to get his attention.
"I surmise he was appreciative of our protocol," Spock finally said, blinking and changing his stare to his usual 'I'm too cool for this bunch' eyes.
"That's good, right?" Jim ventured, knowing he was pushing his luck.
"Indeed." Spock nodded as Jim left the Captain chair and walked back to his post.
"Is he scary?" Chekov asked timidly.
"He is Vulcan." Spock beat Jim to answering the question that clearly was directed at him. "Therefore he is."
Everyone was stunned after hearing this, almost like they didn't know if Spock was joking or just pointing something out. Jim laughed, breaking the silence, and everyone joined him. Spock seemed to warm up after this, and took his seat more relaxed. Well, at least they could be comfortable around the Bridge. Jim feared Spock would be too pissed off to engage in meaningless conversation, but as Jim talked about the malfunctioning food replicator, Spock added his point of view and tactfully declined Jim's offer to check it with Scotty to see if they could reprogram it.
When the shift ended, Jim wrapped things up quickly and bolted into the turbolift before Spock could say anything that would jeopardize his dinner date (it wasn't a date, but it was hard to make Jim's mind stop calling it a date. Dinner, with a handsome guy, feeling all nervous… it screamed date). After getting things ready on the Observation Deck (and without any incidents at all… this was luck!), he arrived to the Ambassador's room after letting him know he was on his way. He buzzed, trying to act casual.
The Ambassador opened his door smiling widely, and Jim, once again, lost control of his emotions and grinned like an idiot.
"Ready?" Jim asked, feeling like a teenager girl. A desperate one.
"Certainly," the Ambassador said warmly.
"Did you like the big tour?" Jim asked, as they walked around the hallway.
"Like I said to the Captain, the Enterprise is as formidable as I remembered it."
"About that, you have a lot to explain," Jim chastised in a teasing manner. "Spock has been acting really weird, and he knows you! I thought you said the world would implode if he met you."
"I may have exaggerated my argument given the circumstances."
"In other words, you lied." Jim smirked. Spock always said Vulcans didn't lie, but it was bullshit. They bent things according to what they wanted.
"I would not call it a lie exactly. It was necessary, as you wanted me to come with you and it would result in a different course of action. You needed to be in charge of the mission in order to succeed."
"That much faith in me will make me blush," Jim joked, feeling slightly resentful of the other Kirk, having this kind of unconditional trust. It must be nice to be perfect like that.
"I was under the impression that we were having dinner?" The Ambassador asked when Jim went in the opposite direction from the mess hall.
"Yeah, we're having dinner," Jim said cryptically. He could pull off the Vulcan mischievousness as well as the Ambassador.
"Oh?" The Ambassador titled his head with curiosity.
"You'll see," Jim smiled. The Ambassador nodded.
When they entered the Observation Deck, the Ambassador stopped as soon as he saw what Jim prepared.
"This.. Is very familiar to me," the Ambassador said after a prolonged silence.
"I hope so, I used one of those handy memories you left in my head. You seemed to enjoy that dinner, and well, I'm not your Kirk, but maybe you won't mind sharing the same scenario to make a new memory?" Jim asked, sounding slightly insecure. He knew he was pushing boundaries here; even when he had this extra set of memories, they didn't belong to him, and maybe the Ambassador would be uncomfortable recreating the whole thing. Jim had decided to do it because he could feel the happiness this particular memory brought to the Ambassador, and well, maybe it was more about the company than the dinner itself, but hey, at least they could share a nice time, right?
Besides, he also wanted to have nice memories with someone who at least treated him like he was worth their time. Was that so bad?
"You never cease to amaze me, Jim," the Ambassador said fondly. "I am honored that you went to this much trouble to get this settled."
"It was no problem." Jim smiled, now that he knew the Ambassador was fine with the situation. He tried not to blush at the devotion he could see in the Vulcan's eyes. Man, that other Kirk was so lucky. "And I wanted you to feel at home. It must be hard being here where everything should look the same, yet it's too different."
"It is difficult from time to time, however it all comes down to the attitude you display about the situation. I am taking this as a second chance to make things right."
"Really? But I thought you couldn't meddle in this universe or it would be catastrophic or something." Jim signaled for the Ambassador to take a seat at the carefully set table. At least he still rocked at improvisation, although Bones would have his head when he found out Jim had borrowed (stolen) most of his fancy stuff (sometimes having a gentleman for a friend was helpful).
"I fear that this decision was taken from me the moment that vengeful being decided to change everything. I am remorseful that this brought so much pain for you and my counterpart."
"It wasn't your fault either," Jim tried to reassure him. "Some people are assholes, you can't avoid bad things happening. And hey, my brother always said that our Dad perhaps was destined to die. If Nero hadn't killed him, he could have slipped in the shower or a piano could have dropped on his head. You never know."
"You have the same dark humor my Jim had," the Ambassador said warmly. "He never blamed me when he should have."
"Well, you said he was brilliant, so he must have been right." And just because Jim was a tactile person, and it didn't look like the Vulcan would mind, Jim reached to touch his arm in a comforting way. "So don't play the blame game anymore, it'll get us nowhere."
"I apologize for my tardiness."
Jim and the Ambassador turned, seeing Spock standing near the table, looking ready to choke a bitch.
N/A: Long time! I'm sorry it's taking me this long to update, RL keeps ruining my life. I would like to thank my wonderful beta Anbessette, who is amazing and patient with my awful grammar. Also I want to thank Doni, who still supports my stories no matter how rude I get answering really late. I'm so sorry! I wanted to thank you for your comments and your offer, I wasn't able to respond sooner, but I'm grateful for your kindness; this chapter is for you. And to my wonderful friend Justasimplekidfrombrooklyn, somehow we still can't get in touch through mail, I think the Comedian doesn't want us to do our amazing RP! We shall not let him win! I wanted to let you know I'm alive and we will get that RP going, no matter the obstacles. Finally, to end this huge NA, thank you all for your comments! Thank you for sticking to this story even when it takes me this long to update!