Unconventional Coping Mechanisms [for heirtothedragonsfire ](dated Post-Beyond plot)

[smartass_captain]

There's several messages waiting for Jim on his PINpoint when he gets out of his meeting with Commodore Carthwright and back to his temporary quarters. The recovery efforts on Starbase Yorktown are proceeding without trouble and Jim's finished the worst of his post mission duties days ago with Bones and Spock. All the letters have been sent. Recovery missions to Altamid and the surrounding space for body recovery are still ongoing, so there is no date for the commemoration to the lives lost yet.

In the meantime, he's been in briefing after meeting after thinktank giving his recount of the mission and more importantly, the breaching of the nebula. Being able to navigate it opens up whole new sectors of uncharted space and Starfleet has been going for the Federation's backing on getting the gear in place to do do just that.

An exciting prospect. One Captain Kirk is more than happy to lend his assistance on.

Jim sends off replies to the messages left for him with a small smile on his face. Being connected to the Nexus again and his friends is a breath of fresh air he'd missed like a lost limb when he'd thought it was taken away for good. His smile fades when he sees the last one.

Isidor wants to meet with him? They haven't spoken in months. Not since their group efforts in Tamriel. Jim hadn't been conscious enough to thank her when they split up at the end and before he even caught sight of her at Halloween everything was pain and that insidious orange glow. Nightmares that still leave bolting upright in bed screaming more nights than not. He scrubs a hand down his face and keys out a reply. Agreeing to a time and the coordinates Isidor has left for him in the Nexus.

He's in his dress uniform when he comes through the Nexus at the agreed upon time, a sleek grey military dress uniform with hat tucked under his arm as he pulls open the door to an elegant tea parlor. Every table is its own little secluded booth. The hostess walks Jim over to a familiar face waiting for him. He takes a seat across from Isidor Durant.

"I was gonna apologize about the outfit but I have a feeling if I'd had time to change before coming here I'd be woefully under dressed."

Comments

[smartass_captain]

Jim nods along with Isidor's stress on the deathknight's name. There's a Lot to say about the Azerothian worgen but Jim doesn't feel like now is the time to even begin touching that. Not before they've come to understand each other and the boundaries there for conversation.

Jim might have stumbled onto one of hers already but she's doing an awfully good job of riding the line of his too. They have quite a lot in common, and that includes thinking they know what's best for other people a lot of the time. He doesn't drop Isidor's gaze, refuses to look cowed down or regretful. She's saying things he's said to himself already but it's not as though he can take it back nor that they could even rush to act on it if they wanted to. A mountain of work stands between them going any further. Still, he digs in his heels and refuses to break Isidor's gaze for several long moments after she's done and giving him that Look.

"You're not wrong." It's the most diplomatic concession Jim could make himself give when he looks away. His tone is quiet. Respectful again. "But it's done. I'm not gonna waste time worrying about it when there's so much more to do. And that includes finding some good outlets for you, so. I'd best get to work."

[heirtothedragonsfire]

Though he says she isn't wrong, it feels like he wants to say otherwise. The captain is being diplomatic and she knows it. Her scepticism doesn't quite vanish as she sits back and folds her hands on her knees. If she hadn't surrendered such sensitive information to him she might push him on the matter, but now she doesn't have a choice but to stand back and say nothing. It's as though her hands are tied, and she hates it.

"I suppose you'd better," is all she can say in response at first.

After a moment she calms down a bit more and though she raises an eyebrow at him, her voice is soft. "I hope you know what you're doing."