[NVC Day 24] -- [Does It Comes From Within?] -- [Jim/Sybok]

[kirktastic]

When Jim left the trial that evening, it was over. No more offense, no more defense. The trial was over. Tomorrow, when he came there in the morning, they would know what would be happening with the Romulans. He felt at ends about it, broken into pieces.

So instead of going back to his room, dealing with dinner he wouldn't eat, he decided to go do something instead. After some deciding, a quick bit of research, Jim had somewhere to go. He asked Bones, but wasn't entirely surprised when Bones declined to want to come. It wasn't exactly something up Bones' alley, but tonight, it wasn't a terrible thing. Just a few hours to go out, clear his head, then come back and find Bones' arms.

That's what set Jim out to the distant cliffs, where the beaches were shallow and warm like the ocean itself. He had on a pair of swim trunks, goggles, and pairs of specially designed shoes and gloves with webs in them to help him swim and still retain movement in his fingers. He dumped the backpack he had brought with him, and pulled on the last two items he needed. Around his neck went the mouth piece to his slim, light weight breathing device that could process the water into oxygen for him to breathe. Around his head went a band with a small camera attached, and on his belt was a very light weight processor that would record everything the camera saw. He thought it would be interesting to keep, and bring back so Bones could see.

The waters of Sha'Kwai were amazing. The things he saw, diving down as deep as he could before he couldn't tolerate it anymore. It cleared his head, the silence of everything except his bubbles and the moving water. It was warm down there, like slightly less warm bathwater. He saw strange fish with horns on their head, giant coral-like creatures that swayed when he came close to them and brushed against him, even something that looked like an alligator except when it opened its mouth a small tentacle emerged and struck at a fish.

When it started to get dark, he had to get out so he could be safe. He grabbed a towel out of the backpack he had brought and dried himself off, and started to walk back towards the guest quarters again. It was a bit of a walk - the beach he had started on had been recommended to him, but the walk felt good. Worked out the kinks in his muscles.

Comments

[outcastprince.livejournal.com]

New. What an awful and deceiving word; they had said that about their arrangement, too. A bond fresh, new, clean to vile, weak, new-enough for him to survive if only to suffer.

When Sybok opened his eyes he could see Jim's hand drop, and he tallied one for Jim in admirable qualities. Compared to what he had seen and what he had interacted with, such a mix seemed so unusual.

"He's part human. It could have little effect on him--unlikely, since he can feel you clearly--or it could be worse. He continues to be a living experiment."

[kirktastic.livejournal.com]

His gaze went to the side as he tried to think, tried to come up with how to explain everything to this near stranger. It didn't fully occur to him that he was finding a trust in Sybok faster than he did with most people. "You remember the man I was with when you interrupted our dinner? That's my mate. I've been with him for a while, friends with him even longer. Guy I plan to spend the rest of my life with, and visa versa. I care about Spock, probably more than a Captain should and even more than a friend should, but it's Bones that I'm worried about. What I have with him. I don't want to hurt Spock, but if I have to so that I can make sure everything is right with Bones? I will."

[outcastprince.livejournal.com]

He understood the dynamic on a theoretical level, putting one important person in front of another, but it was difficult to observe objectively. He had already taken his side in this.

"And if he accepts it, would you follow?"

[kirktastic.livejournal.com]

"...If we both came to the agreement that it was what was best? I would, even if I didn't like it. Don't know about Vulcans, but.. in my world, a relationship is supposed to be about equals." Bones could convince him of almost anything though. If Bones agreed... he would keep it.

[outcastprince.livejournal.com]

Sybok smiled lightly, and motioned further down the beach; they should keep walking. "Is there anything about it that you don't like in particular?" He could only offer specific solutions to specific problems.

[kirktastic.livejournal.com]

Confused, but willing enough to walk, Jim followed the suggestion and kept walking. "No. I like it being equal. Right now... this stuff between Spock and us? It isn't equal."

[outcastprince.livejournal.com]

"Why do you think that?" He asked, hands coming out from his pockets to fold behind his back. The cool air of the evening felt pleasant on his hands.

[kirktastic.livejournal.com]

"Might be one of those human things." Jim shrugged a little. "It just isn't. Spock forced us to do something, and put something in us, against our will. That makes it uneven. Before that? I would have said it was equal. But this just tilted everything out of balance."

[outcastprince.livejournal.com]

He wasn't about to plunge into the philosophies of consent, because no doubt that would irk Jim, too: the idea of arranging two children to be (in most cases) forever joined. Not to mention a host of expectations and rules that no amount of logic could destroy, usually increased the closer your House climbed to the top. He knew Spock didn't show as much grief about the consent as this man simply because in Vulcan society things happened at the will of the whole, and most of the time you couldn't stop it.

Something to teach later, or get Spock to discuss with his mates.

"Would you like to have some of that balance back?" Sybok inquired, though it was mostly a rhetorical question. "It's still your bond, regardless of who you share it with. You should me able to control it."

[kirktastic.livejournal.com]

Jim's eyes narrowed and he looked up at Sybok, every inch of him honing in on that. "What do you mean? How could a human control it?" He thought of his question to Prime, about learning shielding...

But as a human, could he learn to do more?

There was something that cropped up in his mind, something buried in a report Bones had given to him. About the other Pike, the one who had hurt Spock fucker, and how he had seemed capable of things that a human shouldn't. Jim could remember at the time thinking it was something due to him being from another universe, or bonded to a Vulcan but... could it be learned by someone like him?

Hell, if anyone could, I can.

[outcastprince.livejournal.com]

"When I was younger, I talked to Amanda about this." Sybok recalled, glancing up automatically at the stars. "The impression I have is that she could control everything she could reach. Shields, communication, and emotional transference."

And then he smiled, the mental cogs turning, "And, considering your situation, you might be able to take advantage of more."

[kirktastic.livejournal.com]

"She seemed like that kind of woman, from what I know of her." The images of her were very few and mixed - not quite the same universal appearance. "What do you mean more, though?"

[outcastprince.livejournal.com]

"Well, look at how your bond is arranged." He held up his hand, palm up with the index and thumb curled towards each other. "There is a core, Spock," He pointed to his palm. "And then there are the three of you connected to him." A motion to the middle, ring, and pinky fingers spread out from the palm. "If you can communicate with him, and he can communicate with the other two--what is stopping you from possibly contacting them as well?" The explanation came with the appropriate hand motions, from the tip of one finger, to the palm, to the tip of another.

[kirktastic.livejournal.com]

Jim grasped at the idea of it immediately - the bond was like spokes on a wheel, with Spock as the hub in the middle - but not the actual doing. He studied Sybok's hand for a moment as if it held the answer, his brows furrowing. "Is that possible?" He asked quietly, "Considering how limited humans are in their abilities? I mean, if we did that, wouldn't it just be Spock being there directing things?" With the subtle words listening in attached.

[outcastprince.livejournal.com]

"It could be. Again, his mind's not entirely predictable." Sybok closed his hand, and folded it behind his back again. "And human minds can be capable of many things, so don't discourage yourself, Jim. It wasn't more than three hundred years ago we thought humans couldn't comprehend warp speed."

"The only way I'd be able to tell for certain is by looking at the arrangement myself...though I can understand if you'd rather not have another person looking around in there."

[kirktastic.livejournal.com]

Jim said nothing at first, taking slow measured steps as he thought. Did he dare revel this to Sybok? Was there even a point? "Could you teach that? Me, and Bones... how to communicate like that? Shielding?" With the trial over tomorrow, he knew the Enterprise would leave soon. Would a wandering Vulcan even be willing--?

[outcastprince.livejournal.com]

"I could, if you let me." Sybok gave him a small, reassuring smile. "There's only so much I could show you in such a short time--but I would. If you think it would help." More importantly, if it would convince the two of them to keep the bond for their own needs. The actual reason didn't matter very much as long as the end result was the same.

"But I can't guarantee anything, and you'll have to talk it over with him. Maybe you can give me a call after you've come to a decision?" They were getting closer to the guest quarters.

[kirktastic.livejournal.com]

"That's what I plan to do," Jim said lightly. He met Sybok's eyes once, then gave a small, soft smile. "Thanks. I'll let you know once we decide on anything."

A slight wave, then Jim went inside. Where are you Bones? We need to talk.

[outcastprince.livejournal.com]

Sybok waved back as they parted, and then began the long walk down the interior street towards the main boulevard. With some luck, he'd be able to catch a bus or a train right as it was on its way into downtown, with time left enough for a small dinner. Leaning up against the support post of one overhang and waiting for said transport, he pulled out his communicator.

Rest and work on your shields. I'll call you later.