[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.

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[rn_chapel]

"I'm fine. Just lightheaded," Tina snapped weakly. "I'm not the one who just got punched repeatedly."

She looked up at him, her irritation giving way to concern again with the rapidity that so often characterized her emotional shifts. She touched his lower lip, wiping away a smear of blood. "Moron." It was almost fond.

She turned her attention to the other pugilist. "Roger? Are you okay?"

Before the words were all the way out of her mouth, another voice was interrupting.

"What is going on here?" a stern Vulcan in uniform asked. Firmly.

The authorities had arrived.

[roger_korby]

Roger staggered to his feet with as much dignity as he could muster, given the circumstances. He hadn't been in a common brawl like this in a long time, and while there was a certain amount of adrenaline coursing through his veins at the moment, he was more preoccupied with the sight of the his former fiancee being fawned over by a rogue. "Just a misunderstanding," he said, approaching the Vulcan. "Gentleman's disagreement, I'm terribly sorry about the mess."

Turning his eyes back to Tina, he moved toward her. "I'm fine, darling. You, get back," he muttered to James. "I'm a physician, let me look at her."

[rn_chapel]

"I'm fine," Tina said, sitting up properly. "Really. I was just lightheaded for a moment."

She smoothed her hair back, careless of the blood on her hand, and stood. "And now I'm going home."

"I'm staying at the Hiyet, room 314," she added, to one of the uniformed Vulcans, "if you need a statement from me later."

[gold_ambition]

James thought he could happily spend the rest of the evening being called names by Tina. Instead, of course, his attention was arrested first by the approaching Vulcan and then by the man who really shouldn't have been standing and wasn't a gentleman at all.

"I'll get back when she asks me to," he growled, not above going again. "You're the one who should be seen to, asshole."

But Tina was getting up and the official-looking Vulcan--though weren't they all--gazed down at him dourly.

"You will come with me," he said.

"What, me and Roger here get to cool our heels down at county?"

The Vulcan's gaze slid to Korby and back, ignoring the anachronism. "No. Just you. You began the altercation. Professor Korby is known to us. You will be punished for your disruption of the peace."

"What is this shit?" he demanded, bristling but not yet ramped up to full bore tantrum. "Korby's at least as much of a dick as I am."

[roger_korby]

Roger was at least as much of a dick - but a dick with a publicist. And some fucking tenure.

It was hard not to gloat, so he didn't. Despite the fact that it was getting hard to breathe, damned cracked rib- Roger did take objection to Tina asking to be taken home by Security.

Ignoring Kirk like the insignificant interloper he was, Roger stepped up to the authorities. "I can see Ms Chapel to her quarters," he maintained, quite able to ignore the pain in his side for the moment. 

[rn_chapel]

"Lieutenant Chapel can see herself to her quarters," Tina replied sweetly. Good God, what was with her and referring to herself in the third person these days? It was just so easy to slip into when people she was spending time with were talking about her instead of to her.

Which thought reminded her that she was angry, and shored up her resolve that this stupidity was going to stop for the evening.

"James, for God's sake, go quietly and sort this out. Arguing with the authorities isn't going to help. And Roger, if you have the slightest shred of--" What? Integrity? Honesty? Sense of fair play? "Nevermind. Good night."

[gold_ambition]

It was some consolation that she wasn't going home with him. That he looked like an idiot and she wasn't falling for his snake oil selling charms. Cold comfort, as he allowed himself to be led away, but it was all that was keeping him from railing and finding out if the Vulcan kept the same stone-faced expression while being kneed in the balls.

Well, he'd had enough Shakespeare.

"So what law have I broken?" he asked. "You want my head on a pike for a little disagreement?"

"We do not have a death penalty," the Vulcan said, and for the first time looked almost curious. "Nor does the Federation support any. You will be dealt with in the Vulcan manner, as you are in Vulcan-occupied territory."

Great, James thought. Just great.

[roger_korby]

At least the impediment was gone, he thought wryly, watching James being taken away. Roger tried one more time to make her see reason. "Christine, wait," he said, walking after her, ignoring the horrified looks by the other patrons, bloodied lip and bruised face. "Don't- don't just go. If you don't want to stay, let me make sure you're okay."

[rn_chapel]

Roger could see earlier that she had been adjusting her weight for a sore back and swelling ankles, but Tina had even more practice at diagnosing ailments. The way he was favoring one side and the hitch in his breath told her plainly that he had seriously bruised ribs, at the least. And probably fractures. And he still wanted to treat her as an invalid. Men.

"I'm really okay, Roger," she said. She was much calmer, now, though still aghast at their behavior. "I'm more worried about your health."

[roger_korby]

"I'm fine," he repeated, waving off the Vulcan medical staff who'd arrived right after Security. "No, really," he told them as one of them began scanning bits and parts of him. "Honestly, I think I'm a good enough judge to my own physical state."

But the medical team (hell, when did they become a team) began working on him, and before he knew it, he'd been given some pain medication and was being walked off. He looked up and over at Christine - but she wasn't there.

Or had he moved... Roger wasn't sure anymore. The medical technician (were they Healers as well?) had long hair, something one didn't often see in Vulcans. He was preparing to comment on this when the sedation hit full on and he lost track of that thought.