[Discovery] -- [Kirk's Office] -- [Open for Official Business]

[kirktastic]

It was so heavily backlogged. Messages, paperwork, reports, news - all of it was backlogged. Kirk had holed himself up in his office, trying to get through it all. Okay, the paperwork was at least not seriously backlogged and he saw Spock's hand in that. Spock was good at that sort of thing, even if Kirk wasn't entirely surprised to see some things

Comments

[headnursechapel]

Christine had, at first glance, assumed that it was her Captain Kirk who had sent the message. The native one had never contacted her like this before, after all, and certainly not about anything urgent. But - in my office.

There was really only one thing this could be about.

She was not, in fact, in surgery, and she headed down to the captain's office, pressing the chime to be admitted.

[kirktastic]

"Come in," Kirk said, stylus being pulled somewhat guility away from his mouth. Have to stop chewing on it.

He smiled warmly when he saw Christine enter. She was a beautiful woman, and from Bones' reports, an excellent nurse. Jim was lucky to have her on his crew. "Have a seat. Just a few things that I want to ask you about."

[headnursechapel]

Christine smiled back as she sat down across from Kirk.

"Of course, Captain," she said, smoothing her skirt down and folding her hands in her lap. She wasn't exactly looking forward to this conversation - whatever form it might take - but she'd have been foolish not to expect something.

[kirktastic]

"I have no doubt you know why I called you up here," Kirk leaned in his chair, watching her, "So we'll get to business. Starting from when you first found out anything... what happened with the Romulans?"

[headnursechapel]

Christine's expression sobered, and she nodded in agreement, taking a deep breath.

"Well," she said, "I was the ranking officer in Sickbay when we got a call from the guard down in the brig - Lieutenant Harris, I think, although that'll be in the report."

"One of the Romulans had held her knife up to the forcefield to heat it, and subsequently held the knife against her forearm, burning the skin away." She met Kirk's eyes. "Her knife, Captain - she still had it. They both..." She was getting ahead of herself, and stopped. "I believe the one who harmed herself was Nero; my captain thought so, when I told him what happened

[kirktastic]

"Was he in the farther part of the brig? Piece of his ear missing?" Kirk drew a line across his own ear, "Tattoos crossed on the bridge of his nose?" He'd spent too much time staring up at Nero's face not to know it intimately.

"Did he say anything to you?" Already he was writing. Harris... was in deep shit. In fact, all of security was. He would be going down there and checking it out himself.

[headnursechapel]

Christine nodded. "Yes, she was in the cell farthest from the door. That's her." She paused, trying to remember. "She said a few things...but I don't think they were directed at me. It was all in Romulan."

[kirktastic]

Nero, then. "Security will have it on record..." He muttered to himself, writing a note to pick up and see what Nero had said. "Did Harris enter the cell with you? Did Nero do anything threatening towards you?"

[headnursechapel]

She shook her head. "No and no. The lieutenant stayed outside the cell and put the forcefield back up after me. He said he had orders not to keep the field down." She leaned closer. "He was very concerned with following orders, Captain. It was clear that he wanted to do the right thing."

"As for Nero...no. She was pretty out of it; she was in shock from the pain. I'm not sure she even really knew I was there."

[kirktastic]

Did Christine not know Nero was male, or was she just calling the body whatever gender it was at the time? He wondered if she called Jim 'her'. What a weird thought. Female or not, Jim would be male in his head. Similar to Pasha.

Harris had left Chapel alone in the cell with a killer. Kirk had to work to keep the anger from his face and voice, "Is Nero alright? What happened afterwards?"

[headnursechapel]

"Nero is fine, as far as I'm aware," she replied. "I haven't been back to check, but the arm should be pretty much healed, by now."

She paused, studying the hard set of Kirk's face. "Captain...I want to make one thing clear before I continue. Lieutenant Harris didn't want to let me in the cell. I'm afraid I bullied him into it a bit. He stayed alert and ready to pull me out at the first hint of trouble, and was very professional." Bugfuck crazy aside. "But someone had to go in there and treat Nero. And that's my job."

[kirktastic]

"It isn't your job to go in there alone," Kirk shook his head, "I'll take it into consideration though. Is there anything else I should know about?" His eyes lifted to hers, his own very focused.

[headnursechapel]

"With all due respect, sir," Christine replied carefully, "it is my job, to heal the wounded. It was an emergency, and there was no other choice. I took no unnecessary risks."

She met his eyes again.

"After I left Nero's cell," she continued, "I went down to see the other one. Ayel. I wanted to try to see if he would give up his knife, as well. We...talked."

[kirktastic]

Kirk just disagreed. It was her job, but Harris should have gone in with her. Now that was interesting. Why did she call Nero 'her' but Ayel 'his'? He tapped a finger, "About? Did he give it up?"

[headnursechapel]

She shook her head. "No," she said. "He didn't. But...he also didn't reject the request outright."

"He said that he'd show me the knife when he saw Nero. But of course, I couldn't do that. So I told him that I would talk to my captain about it. And that I would turn the lights down, on his request. I...don't think they're used to the brightness."

"He agreed, and showed me the knife." She looked at Kirk. "I know it doesn't sound like much, and that just seeing it didn't give us anything concrete. But it was a gesture of trust. He was careful not to promise anything. But I think, if we did allow them to see each other...I think he'd give us the knife."

"I'm still not sure exactly what happened there. What he was thinking. But..." She paused, wondering how to explain. "He listened to everything I had to say, and considered it," she said slowly. "He was willing to bargain. And he kept up his end of it. I'm not saying he's not dangerous. But...he may be able to be reasoned with. To an extent."

[kirktastic]

The news didn't surprise him, in some ways. Willing to bargain, when he had no choice left. It told him Ayel could be kept in line by using Nero. At the same time... he already knew that. He knew a little about Ayel, more than his mind wanted to know.

He let out a slow breath and nodded, "Thank you for the information. I'll keep it in mind."