the dead big bang fic
i figured i'd post the funny bit. It was gonna be a Pike/Sulu fic. I may still write it. But here's what I wrote...
Background: Kirk is injured, Pike is Captain. Sulu is all frosty around Pike, Pike doesn't know why... Sulu is worried about fucking up in front of this man he admires.
“I believe I would draw more suspicion than a human, Admiral,” Spock told him, looking away from the glowing data on the screen before them. “For this reason, I advise you choose another member of the crew to accompany you on this mission.”
“Of course,” Pike responded, glancing sidelong at Spock. “I need you to run the ship while I’m gone.”
“The ship can run itself in a standard orbit, Admiral, it is the crew that requires direction.” Pike rolled his eyes and turned back to the information at hand, looking for any information on conventional weapons used planetside.
After a moment, Spock spoke again.
“Your expression suggests my response was not entirely satisfactory.” Pike shrugged, letting his age-old amusement at Spock’s personality find a place again in his brain.
“No, Spock, you were right. But… it’s an expression.”
He shrugged again, which made him feel woefully informal in contrast to Spock’s perpetually perfect posture. He squared his shoulders, but couldn’t help but run a nervous hand through his hair. Spock nodded his understanding, and Pike turned back to the screen. But instead of reading the scrolling blurbs of research that Communications had provided them with, he let the glowing interface become a light blur through which he could see the helm. He could see Lieutenant Sulu, only slightly less tense than he usually was on the bridge, or at least when Pike was watching him. He still looked like a Federation poster boy, a model who couldn’t be doing any real work and looking that professional. But he performed as well as he ever did, sometimes better than was expected. He wondered where the Enterprise and planet Earth would have been if McKenna had been well, now almost a year ago. A lot of things would have gone differently if it weren’t for Sulu, whether it was on purpose or not.
“Which crewmember do you deem most suitable?”
“Sulu,” replied Pike, without thinking. His brain caught up with his mouth and he was glad to find that he didn’t need to change his answer.
“Sulu? Are you sure? You will need someone who can at least make the appearance of comfort at your side. May I suggest Lieutenant Uhura-“
“Spock.” That tone of voice had always gotten Spock to shut up right away, no questions asked. One of few perks that Pike had over Kirk, having chosen Spock specifically for the position that he held. Pike appreciated the gravity that his authority held over the Vulcan, though he still sometimes doubted his own professionalism in contrast to Spock’s methodical attention to regulations.
“Admiral, I am attempting to be of assistance. I intend merely to act as a second filter, to be sure that the actions you choose are the most suitable for the situation.”
“I’m aware of that. On this mission, I need someone who has a strong number of away missions under their belt, someone who can help me blend into the crowd, someone whose judgment often reflects my own and above all, someone who has advanced training in hand to hand combat.”
“You do seem fond of that particular criteria,” was Spock’s response. From anyone else, the comment would have made Pike’s spine prickle. From Spock, it was perhaps the closest you could get to a joke without being insulted.
“It’s increasingly necessary. Without the pressure of the previous altercation we’ve had with these people, I would agree that Uhura is the best choice. But she doesn’t have advanced hand-to-hand. And knowing I’ve got Sulu’s sword skills at my back will greatly improve my own performance.” Spock was not looking at Pike, but through the display in Sulu’s direction. Pike couldn’t be sure if Spock was looking at him or staring out into space, but he could make a pretty good guess.
“Your logic is sound,” he replied at last, which in Spock-speak meant that he’d won the argument.
Background: Kirk is injured, Pike is Captain. Sulu is all frosty around Pike, Pike doesn't know why... Sulu is worried about fucking up in front of this man he admires.
“I believe I would draw more suspicion than a human, Admiral,” Spock told him, looking away from the glowing data on the screen before them. “For this reason, I advise you choose another member of the crew to accompany you on this mission.”
“Of course,” Pike responded, glancing sidelong at Spock. “I need you to run the ship while I’m gone.”
“The ship can run itself in a standard orbit, Admiral, it is the crew that requires direction.” Pike rolled his eyes and turned back to the information at hand, looking for any information on conventional weapons used planetside.
After a moment, Spock spoke again.
“Your expression suggests my response was not entirely satisfactory.” Pike shrugged, letting his age-old amusement at Spock’s personality find a place again in his brain.
“No, Spock, you were right. But… it’s an expression.”
He shrugged again, which made him feel woefully informal in contrast to Spock’s perpetually perfect posture. He squared his shoulders, but couldn’t help but run a nervous hand through his hair. Spock nodded his understanding, and Pike turned back to the screen. But instead of reading the scrolling blurbs of research that Communications had provided them with, he let the glowing interface become a light blur through which he could see the helm. He could see Lieutenant Sulu, only slightly less tense than he usually was on the bridge, or at least when Pike was watching him. He still looked like a Federation poster boy, a model who couldn’t be doing any real work and looking that professional. But he performed as well as he ever did, sometimes better than was expected. He wondered where the Enterprise and planet Earth would have been if McKenna had been well, now almost a year ago. A lot of things would have gone differently if it weren’t for Sulu, whether it was on purpose or not.
“Which crewmember do you deem most suitable?”
“Sulu,” replied Pike, without thinking. His brain caught up with his mouth and he was glad to find that he didn’t need to change his answer.
“Sulu? Are you sure? You will need someone who can at least make the appearance of comfort at your side. May I suggest Lieutenant Uhura-“
“Spock.” That tone of voice had always gotten Spock to shut up right away, no questions asked. One of few perks that Pike had over Kirk, having chosen Spock specifically for the position that he held. Pike appreciated the gravity that his authority held over the Vulcan, though he still sometimes doubted his own professionalism in contrast to Spock’s methodical attention to regulations.
“Admiral, I am attempting to be of assistance. I intend merely to act as a second filter, to be sure that the actions you choose are the most suitable for the situation.”
“I’m aware of that. On this mission, I need someone who has a strong number of away missions under their belt, someone who can help me blend into the crowd, someone whose judgment often reflects my own and above all, someone who has advanced training in hand to hand combat.”
“You do seem fond of that particular criteria,” was Spock’s response. From anyone else, the comment would have made Pike’s spine prickle. From Spock, it was perhaps the closest you could get to a joke without being insulted.
“It’s increasingly necessary. Without the pressure of the previous altercation we’ve had with these people, I would agree that Uhura is the best choice. But she doesn’t have advanced hand-to-hand. And knowing I’ve got Sulu’s sword skills at my back will greatly improve my own performance.” Spock was not looking at Pike, but through the display in Sulu’s direction. Pike couldn’t be sure if Spock was looking at him or staring out into space, but he could make a pretty good guess.
“Your logic is sound,” he replied at last, which in Spock-speak meant that he’d won the argument.