[Hirat-kur Theater - opening night: open]

[rn_chapel]

The novelty of an all-Vulcan production of one of Shakespeare's extravagantly emotional plays was a big draw, and there was quite a crowd on Romeo and Juliet's opening night. People chatted and mingled in the plaza outside the Hirat-kur Theater, the lustrous fabrics of formal-wear bright against the crimson walls that gave the building its name.

Comments

Intermission

[rn_chapel]

From the restless sounds in the audience around her, Tina was getting the sense that the play wasn't really working for most people. She was finding it pretty interesting, herself, from a sort of anthropological standpoint, but it wasn't rivetingAnd as intermission approached, she was paying less and less attention, and wishing that she'd politely declined when Roger brought her a drink before the play started. She was busy thinking about how far the restrooms were from her seat, and plotting out the best route to get there before the inevitable line for the ladies room became too long to bear

Re: Intermission

[original_fine]

Somehow, Jim had managed to escape his dates, deep in yet another discussion with no real solution that did not involve the alteration of the basic biology of one or the other of them. He'd seen Tina standing alone, which combined with the fact that he had previously seen her sitting with Roger Korby combined to make some sort of intervention both ill-advised an inevitable.

"Tina," he said, approaching with a light fruit juice in one hand which he handed to her; his other held champagne for himself, Vulcans having no logical objection to the entertainment of humans. "Enjoying the play?"

[rn_chapel]

"Enjoying might be a strong term," Tina said, accepting the glass - though she was determined to just sip at it, and try to get back to the restroom before the intermission was over, if at all possible. "But I'm finding it interesting. I think I might be in the minority, there."

[original_fine]

Jim had been enjoying making out with Bones over Spock's lap, but he thought it best not to mention such gross displays in a theater.

"I saw you with Roger," he said casually, sipping his champagne. "How's that going?"

[rn_chapel]

"Fine," Tina said. "It's a little weird, being out with him on something like a date, but it's okay."

It would be better if she could stop accidentally slipping into old habits and flirting with him.

"Are you here with Spock?"

[original_fine]

Jim smiled happily.

"Spock and Bones," he said. "It's nice--like old times, really." Only more pornographic. "Look, just consider me paranoid, but... does Roger seem different to you?"

[rn_chapel]

Tina smiled. That did sound nice. She had the impression that he didn't see as much of his McCoy as he'd like.

"Different? Not really. He seems more concerned with having my good opinion than I would have expected, but that's not really different." Driven, passionate, brilliant, arrogant... The same Roger she remembered. She frowned. "Why?"

[original_fine]

Jim looked vaguely fidgety, without actually fidgeting.

"No reason," he said. "I mean, nothing specific. Hard to leave my job behind, that's all." He forced a smile, and took another sip. Korby had been a good man, after all, until the thing that hadn't happened yet happened. No reason to worry. "It's nice to see you out and about."

[rn_chapel]

What did Roger have to do with his job? This wasn't the first time that Jim had vaguely alluded to something bad happening with his universe's version of Roger. Maybe she should ask Christine. No, scratch that. But she could ask... Someone. Perhaps Uhura?

"I thought it was time to brave the elements. At least for a little while. When I knew it was going to get dark and hopefully drop a few degrees soon."

[original_fine]

Jim nodded. "A good point," he said. "Have you been keeping occupied, then?" He hated to think of her all alone, bored, but on the other hand his own presence, he thought, would do more harm than good.

[rn_chapel]

"More or less. I've been doing some excessive napping and staring blankly into the middle distance, but I've also gone shopping with Christine, and... Uh. I've been reading. And watching movies." With James. Which maybe she shouldn't mention.

Why did navigating interpersonal relationships have to be so hard?

[original_fine]

"Well, I'm glad you've had Christine's company, anyway," he said. On both sides of the equation. "Let me know if I can do anything. Seems like we'll be here for awhile, after all."

[rn_chapel]

"That does seem likely, yes." Nero's trial was a big deal - massive understatement, there - and with the captain and first officer of the Enterprise as important witnesses, it seemed unlikely that the ship would be going anywhere soon.

Tina smiled, shaking off thoughts of the destruction of Vulcan with some effort. "I'm always up for some company and general hanging out, if you happen to find yourself at loose ends. But I know you and your fiances must have lots of things you want to do together while you've got the opportunity."

[original_fine]

"Innuendo duly noted," he said, "but we're old. We have to have some down time somewhere. Maybe dinner, sometime. And we could see if anyone else was at loose ends."

[rn_chapel]

She really hadn't intended any innuendo. Tina internally rolled her eyes at herself.

"Dinner would be great. And you're not old."

[original_fine]

Jim grinned. "Good to know," he said. "I'll call you, then. And you can pick the place, if you want."