Jim nods, slow. He almost says They have the red matter, but of course, that's beyond classified. Nevermind that it was him and his crew who ended up on Romulus desperately trying to dissuade the Empire from using it, not anybody from Section 31.
"They want to believe that the Federation manufactured the destruction of Romulus," he says. And it's entirely likely he got that opinion from Nero and the other renegades-- Jim would be privy to anything Pike had said about his time with them, after all, in addition to his own exposure in combat. "But there has to be a portion of them that want, at the very least, to avoid another war. You know? Because we're still here. After the 'Fleet was devastated, and Vulcan... it would have been the opportune time to strike."
But there is a dissenting faction on Romulus. He knows, he's met the leaders. He thinks of them sometimes, wonders if they're all dead yet, or if any of them remember Ambassador Spock's final plea.
"I feel like we're going to end up sitting down with the Romulans, but it won't hold." And he huffs another laugh, this one less bleak. "Klingons in Starfleet. Can you imagine?"
He can read between the lines of the reports and logs on the Narada incident that propelled James Kirk into fame and captaincy to know there's still a lot that's classified as hell. He might never himself know the whole story. He's learned enough to have an opinion, at least. Maybe on Enterprise he'll get to experience some of this really fun but classified stuff for himself.
"With time... Perhaps not in our generation, but the next. I don't imagine they could ever go back to Kronos lest they dishonour their entire house, but I believe it will happen someday." Well, that's a strangely optimistic sentiment for him. "It'll be a hell of a culture shock, though." There we go. "And the Romulans, sir--you would know better than I would about how they are, but you're right, even if talks open, I doubt anything solid or lasting will come of it. There's too much duplicity and deception that goes around."
It'd be easy to let himself indulge in a moment of being, mentally, somewhere else. Thinking of Romulus, and Vulcan, and Ambassador Spock. But that's something he's put away-- it's not his place to get emotional about it.
"I think it'd be great. Klingons in uniform." That's either a joke about Klingons looking funny, or him being very inclusive. Hard to tell. Jim's got a lot of very strong opinions about the warrior culture, some of which are unfair, but some of which are oddly charitable. And then with a sigh, "Romulans..." Jim just shakes his head. "Maybe someday." A beat. "I'm not keeping you from anything, am I?"
"I, er. No, sir. I plan on visiting a few old haunts while I'm in town, but I haven't anything scheduled right now. My intent was to sit in on your lecture, introduce myself, and...well. I wasn't anticipating drinks. Not that I'm ungrateful for the time you've taken, sir." They'll get to know each other and their styles and their irritating eccentricities and habits of extreme self-sacrifice/suicidal tendencies soon enough. "I'm...not keeping you, I hope."
"What you're saying is I've completely Shanghaied you." Jim sounds amused. "No, you're not. I've just got about.. uh, four hundred official comms to get back to, and about a year's worth of paperwork. So I do appreciate you humoring me for a little while, Lieutenant."
Jim is in no hurry to get back to all that, obviously, but he does have to. Alas.
Maybe you should've thought of that before accepting the captaincy, Jim.
"I have no problems keeping you from work you don't want to do." Until they're actually both on duty and on the ship and have things that need done. By got that armoury is going to be spit and polish clean before it's even done being built. "Unfortunately, duty does call. Part and parcel of the job."
He was warned about the paperwork, but dear god, it's just so much worse than he thought.
"Sure is." Jim sounds wry, but there's obvious fondness, too. He wouldn't be doing this if he didn't want to. And he does want to. Moment of uncertainty aside-- this is who he is. He's not a climber; he's never going to go into politics despite all his ingrained knowledge of it. He doesn't have to live his father's life, or Christopher's. It's okay to live for himself.
He stands up and gives Malcolm's shoulder a bracing touch that's firmer than an awkward pat but not quite an over-friendly slap. Is there a word for that. There should be.
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"They want to believe that the Federation manufactured the destruction of Romulus," he says. And it's entirely likely he got that opinion from Nero and the other renegades-- Jim would be privy to anything Pike had said about his time with them, after all, in addition to his own exposure in combat. "But there has to be a portion of them that want, at the very least, to avoid another war. You know? Because we're still here. After the 'Fleet was devastated, and Vulcan... it would have been the opportune time to strike."
But there is a dissenting faction on Romulus. He knows, he's met the leaders. He thinks of them sometimes, wonders if they're all dead yet, or if any of them remember Ambassador Spock's final plea.
"I feel like we're going to end up sitting down with the Romulans, but it won't hold." And he huffs another laugh, this one less bleak. "Klingons in Starfleet. Can you imagine?"
no subject
"With time... Perhaps not in our generation, but the next. I don't imagine they could ever go back to Kronos lest they dishonour their entire house, but I believe it will happen someday." Well, that's a strangely optimistic sentiment for him. "It'll be a hell of a culture shock, though." There we go. "And the Romulans, sir--you would know better than I would about how they are, but you're right, even if talks open, I doubt anything solid or lasting will come of it. There's too much duplicity and deception that goes around."
no subject
"I think it'd be great. Klingons in uniform." That's either a joke about Klingons looking funny, or him being very inclusive. Hard to tell. Jim's got a lot of very strong opinions about the warrior culture, some of which are unfair, but some of which are oddly charitable. And then with a sigh, "Romulans..." Jim just shakes his head. "Maybe someday." A beat. "I'm not keeping you from anything, am I?"
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and habits of extreme self-sacrifice/suicidal tendenciessoon enough. "I'm...not keeping you, I hope."no subject
Jim is in no hurry to get back to all that, obviously, but he does have to. Alas.
no subject
"I have no problems keeping you from work you don't want to do." Until they're actually both on duty and on the ship and have things that need done. By got that armoury is going to be spit and polish clean before it's even done being built. "Unfortunately, duty does call. Part and parcel of the job."
no subject
"Sure is." Jim sounds wry, but there's obvious fondness, too. He wouldn't be doing this if he didn't want to. And he does want to. Moment of uncertainty aside-- this is who he is. He's not a climber; he's never going to go into politics despite all his ingrained knowledge of it. He doesn't have to live his father's life, or Christopher's. It's okay to live for himself.
He stands up and gives Malcolm's shoulder a bracing touch that's firmer than an awkward pat but not quite an over-friendly slap. Is there a word for that. There should be.
"I'll see you in a month, Reed."