We all want to change the world [Earth]
“Enter.”
Jim ignored the appraising look of Admiral Barnett’s yeoman as he strode through the door. He had been kept waiting for nearly half an hour today, after being summoned asked to present himself in Barnett’s office promptly at 3 o’clock.
“Cadet Kirk.” Barnett nodded as Jim paused just short of his desk, standing at attention. “At ease. I’ll be with you in a moment.” He waved Jim into a chair, turning back to his computer console.
Jim perched on the edge of his chair, examining the row of pictures on a shelf behind Barnett’s desk, then the credenza with a pitcher of water and a complement of glasses set out. All the while, he was silently wondering what could be so important that he had been called here just to wait for Barnett to finish some paperwork. He’d been put through meeting after interrogation after meeting, and here, it seemed, was yet another. He bit back a sigh as he shifted his gaze to the window and the bright spring day outside, wondering which part of the incident he was going to have to recount today.
He would never admit it to anyone except Bones, but he was tired; tired of the same questions, tired of giving the same answers. Weeks ago when this was all still new and the shock was fresh in everyones’ minds, he had thought that Starfleet was going to take action, to actually do something rather than just talk about it in committees or keep asking the same people the same questions, as if they were too bewildered for the answers to have sunk in the first eight times they’d heard them. Or stare at him with barely-concealed disdain, expecting that he was either incompetent or Machiavellian, depending on their mood on any given day.
Something about this meeting was different, though. Jim hadn’t met one-on-one with Barnett in recent memory, certainly not since the Enterprise had limped back to Earth. He had been surprised and curious when the message had indicated that this meeting would be in Barnett’s office, rather than in front of the board, but that had to be a good thing, right?
He certainly hoped so.
After several minutes of typing furiously, the admiral turned to Jim. He looked weary and irritated, like he’d just been in a lengthy argument and wasn’t quite sure whether he’d won or not. “I apologize for the delay, Kirk.” Barnett folded his arms on the desk in front of him, pinning Jim with a speculative look. “You’re probably wondering why I’ve called you here.”
“Not precisely, sir,” Jim replied, his even tone belying the anxiety he was feeling inside. “I assume you have more questions for me?”
“A few,” Barnett admitted. He paused, studying Jim. “The board has completed its review of your actions.”
Jim’s hands clenched, his whole body tensing on instinct. Barnett’s face was impassive; he couldn’t tell what the man was going to say next. “And?”
“You chose a course of action with great risk not only for yourself, but for your fellow crew members, Cadet Kirk.”
Jim bit back a sharp reply. “I did.” He met Barnett’s gaze evenly. “But with all due respect, sir, the greater risk was in doing nothing.”
Barnett rose and turned to the credenza, pouring two glasses of water. He passed Jim one, then sat back down and took a long sip from his own before replying. “The board recognizes that your decisions were sound, Kirk. You will not be censured.”
Worry that Jim hadn’t even realized was there started to melt away. He caught himself relaxing back into the chair and stiffened his back, though, aware that that couldn’t be the entire reason for this meeting. “That’s good news, sir.” His eyes never left Barnett’s, waiting for the man to continue.
“I wonder if you’ll say that when we’re through here today, Kirk.” Barnett eyed him sharply. “The message I was sending when you arrived was directly related to the business I have to discuss with you.” Here he paused again, whether for effect or just to see if he could make Jim antsy, Jim didn’t know.
He decided to bite. “Oh?”
Barnett set his glass aside, placing his palms flat on the desk. “That message was confirming the board’s recommendation that you be promoted to the rank of Captain, Cadet Kirk. And that you assume command of the USS Enterprise.”
Jim ignored the appraising look of Admiral Barnett’s yeoman as he strode through the door. He had been kept waiting for nearly half an hour today, after being summoned asked to present himself in Barnett’s office promptly at 3 o’clock.
“Cadet Kirk.” Barnett nodded as Jim paused just short of his desk, standing at attention. “At ease. I’ll be with you in a moment.” He waved Jim into a chair, turning back to his computer console.
Jim perched on the edge of his chair, examining the row of pictures on a shelf behind Barnett’s desk, then the credenza with a pitcher of water and a complement of glasses set out. All the while, he was silently wondering what could be so important that he had been called here just to wait for Barnett to finish some paperwork. He’d been put through meeting after interrogation after meeting, and here, it seemed, was yet another. He bit back a sigh as he shifted his gaze to the window and the bright spring day outside, wondering which part of the incident he was going to have to recount today.
He would never admit it to anyone except Bones, but he was tired; tired of the same questions, tired of giving the same answers. Weeks ago when this was all still new and the shock was fresh in everyones’ minds, he had thought that Starfleet was going to take action, to actually do something rather than just talk about it in committees or keep asking the same people the same questions, as if they were too bewildered for the answers to have sunk in the first eight times they’d heard them. Or stare at him with barely-concealed disdain, expecting that he was either incompetent or Machiavellian, depending on their mood on any given day.
Something about this meeting was different, though. Jim hadn’t met one-on-one with Barnett in recent memory, certainly not since the Enterprise had limped back to Earth. He had been surprised and curious when the message had indicated that this meeting would be in Barnett’s office, rather than in front of the board, but that had to be a good thing, right?
He certainly hoped so.
After several minutes of typing furiously, the admiral turned to Jim. He looked weary and irritated, like he’d just been in a lengthy argument and wasn’t quite sure whether he’d won or not. “I apologize for the delay, Kirk.” Barnett folded his arms on the desk in front of him, pinning Jim with a speculative look. “You’re probably wondering why I’ve called you here.”
“Not precisely, sir,” Jim replied, his even tone belying the anxiety he was feeling inside. “I assume you have more questions for me?”
“A few,” Barnett admitted. He paused, studying Jim. “The board has completed its review of your actions.”
Jim’s hands clenched, his whole body tensing on instinct. Barnett’s face was impassive; he couldn’t tell what the man was going to say next. “And?”
“You chose a course of action with great risk not only for yourself, but for your fellow crew members, Cadet Kirk.”
Jim bit back a sharp reply. “I did.” He met Barnett’s gaze evenly. “But with all due respect, sir, the greater risk was in doing nothing.”
Barnett rose and turned to the credenza, pouring two glasses of water. He passed Jim one, then sat back down and took a long sip from his own before replying. “The board recognizes that your decisions were sound, Kirk. You will not be censured.”
Worry that Jim hadn’t even realized was there started to melt away. He caught himself relaxing back into the chair and stiffened his back, though, aware that that couldn’t be the entire reason for this meeting. “That’s good news, sir.” His eyes never left Barnett’s, waiting for the man to continue.
“I wonder if you’ll say that when we’re through here today, Kirk.” Barnett eyed him sharply. “The message I was sending when you arrived was directly related to the business I have to discuss with you.” Here he paused again, whether for effect or just to see if he could make Jim antsy, Jim didn’t know.
He decided to bite. “Oh?”
Barnett set his glass aside, placing his palms flat on the desk. “That message was confirming the board’s recommendation that you be promoted to the rank of Captain, Cadet Kirk. And that you assume command of the USS Enterprise.”