Jim shook his head too, not caring if Kirk could see it.
"I've lost perspective, Jim? I'm not the one who thinks he's bigger than Starfleet, who thinks it's his duty and right to decide. I'm not asking for anything but for Spock not to be blown up. That, and the opportunity to see what we're up against. We don't know what the Narada is capable of. What we do know is that already, the two beings closest to Nero have more or less betrayed him. Do they deserve to die so that you can dispose of him before he's conscious again? Damn it, Jim, the fact that you can accuse me of cowardice and deliberate blindness to the situation and the hurt he's caused..."
He consciously unclenched his fist. It was hurting his hand.
"You can believe whatever you want." It hurt more than he would have guessed, knowing exactly how they differed. "You have no reason to grant my position any more credence that a stranger on the street. But I couldn't do what you're contemplating. Though I've contemplated it myself. And decided that I'm only one man. I'm not the one who gets to decide who lives or dies. Even if it might be more convenient. If that changed, I'd be a different person. I'd be Kodos. I'd be Nero."
He moved towards the door, his expression stony, anticipating being thrown out. The argument could go nowhere. He was rapidly losing focus, becoming emotional himself. He was too close--not to the problem, not like Kirk was, but to Kirk himself.
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"I've lost perspective, Jim? I'm not the one who thinks he's bigger than Starfleet, who thinks it's his duty and right to decide. I'm not asking for anything but for Spock not to be blown up. That, and the opportunity to see what we're up against. We don't know what the Narada is capable of. What we do know is that already, the two beings closest to Nero have more or less betrayed him. Do they deserve to die so that you can dispose of him before he's conscious again? Damn it, Jim, the fact that you can accuse me of cowardice and deliberate blindness to the situation and the hurt he's caused..."
He consciously unclenched his fist. It was hurting his hand.
"You can believe whatever you want." It hurt more than he would have guessed, knowing exactly how they differed. "You have no reason to grant my position any more credence that a stranger on the street. But I couldn't do what you're contemplating. Though I've contemplated it myself. And decided that I'm only one man. I'm not the one who gets to decide who lives or dies. Even if it might be more convenient. If that changed, I'd be a different person. I'd be Kodos. I'd be Nero."
He moved towards the door, his expression stony, anticipating being thrown out. The argument could go nowhere. He was rapidly losing focus, becoming emotional himself. He was too close--not to the problem, not like Kirk was, but to Kirk himself.
He was still convinced he was right.