Field Trip [for Schon]

[smartass_captain]

It's not often that Jim shows up in the Nexus in uniform anymore. Since it's become his getaway form work, it always seemed more prudent to just wear his everyday clothes. He's in Starfleet golds today though, kicked back in an overstuffed chair in a quiet corner of the forum, doing 'paperwork' on his PADD.

There's a nearly empty cup of coffee next to him. Maybe he's waiting for someone. Or maybe he just got tired of being bothered in his quarters. It's hard to tell, with Jim.

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[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

Either way, someone will be happening by. Someone with a hat and cane (sorry, not Waldo), who nods congenially to Jim as he approaches. "Good day, Captain. Grappling with matters of command?"

[smartass_captain]

Jim missed Waldo at the party, or he'd make the joke. He looks up at the greeting, a small smile beginning on his face as he sees his friend.

"You seem less exhausted than the last time I saw you. Taking it easy, I hope?"

He'll wave the PADD as though it's unimportant.

"Reading briefings for the next mission. I have to brief the crew later and set our destination. And it gets really old when your Vulcan first officer corrects you every time you forget a detail."

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

"Indeed. The celebration did much to refresh me, and I have otherwise kept my labors light of late." Nodding to the next-mission-briefing PADD, he adds, "I do hope I am not too late for the little outing of which you spoke?"

[smartass_captain]

"Just in time, in fact. We'll have to be on the ship briefly, unless you can warp to specific coordinates in totally random worlds as easy as you fix portals."

Jim is joking. He does not actually think Schon can do that.

"Shall we?" Up and at 'em, Jim's getting to his feet and tucking the PADD away. Coffee is responsibly thrown away. He's not a complete hillbilly.

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

He chuckles. "Alas, Captain, even my miracles have their limits. Please, lead on."

What Schön can do is bring a PINpoint with him, to get that empty planet's coordinates for later.

[smartass_captain]

"We'll keep the stay brief. I know you don't like my ship." It's not personal, Jim hopes. Then there'd be something wrong with Schon. He must not like space. Jim can understand that, at least.

Someone really needs to tell him about these things. He would have so much fun with one of those.

There's no drama or fuss about going back to his world anymore, aside from the briefest moments of Jim growing quiet as he operates the door. Some things just aren't joke worthy. And since they're trying to be discreet about the whole door to other worlds thing, there isn't much of a ship tour waiting for Schon. Just a path and a turbolift to the transport room.

Hey, not every trip to the ship has to be a tour. Jim knows this isn't what Schon is here to see.

"You ever teleported anywhere before? You're gonna want to stand still."

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

Schön isn't sure Jim would believe him, if he explained the reason for his discomfort aboard the Enterprise, but he also isn't sure he wants to tell anyone his weaknesses. (Especially not anyone with a hyper-rational Vulcan for a close associate.)

Still, one doesn't scorn one's host. "Your ship is exquisite, Jim. I confess that science and technology past a certain point are not my great strengths, but even the untrained eye finds much to appreciate." The way to Jim Kirk's heart is through his ship, that's never been a secret.

As for the transporter, he steps onto the pad, confirming, "as still as I can." Once they've finished beaming down, he muses, "I've teleported by a number of means; that one felt... interesting. It has a curious internal tingle to it."

http://www.ellecanada.com/img/photos/biz/resized_images/elleca/00018/608x304_photo18248.jpg

[smartass_captain]

The distinct lack of magic or belief in the otherworldly is vast. In a universe where science has moved forward to the point of damn near being magic, what use is there for the arcane version?

"Yeah, I get you. Had a couple people show me some basic magic at your party and I just about lost my mind. So different from the world I know. To each their own, though."

The gem of a world Jim was talking about is a sprawling expanse of grassy hills and far off mountains, with the occasional swath or forest jutting out across the landscape like an animal all its own. Each valley steeped in mist as far out as one can see and towering over the lot are the ever vigilant watch keepers. Tall ancient mountains that never really leave the landscape.

"Mind the thorny purple flowers by the tree lines, and you should be okay. This place is pretty safe as far as we could tell. Almost no animal life, but enough distinct flora to have my science officers squeal like schoolgirls." Metaphorically. Vulcans are incapable of squealing and the last time Jim teased Sulu of having girly hobbies he ended up with a blade to his throat during their sparring.

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

Jim's warning seems barely to be heard, as Schön takes off his hat, moving slowly, an expression of awe on his face. "Captain," he breathes, "I thought you said this world was uninhabited."

[smartass_captain]

"Hm?" Jim looks around, still not quite over the beauty of the place no matter how many times he beams down.

"Well, technically no. Otherwise it'd be kind of dull, right? There's plenty of plant life. But yeah, no civilizations or anything like that. For the best, anyway. Civilizations usually mean bureaucracy or them trying to kill us." He clearly doesn't sense what Schon does.

Schon must be a botany enthusiast too. He's making the same face Sulu was for days on end. Poor bastard wouldn't even sleep the first couple days of survey.

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

"Oh, Captain, Captain," Schön tsks, still breathy, eyes half-closed, "someone is here. Someone vast, and old, and dreaming. It's glorious."

[smartass_captain]

"Someone. We didn't get any readings on our scanners..." Ah, hell. Jim gets a fresh PADD ready, as well as his comm. He takes one last long look around.

Claps his hands together.

"Alright. Let's go take a look. You up for a hike?"

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

"In dreams like these," the thin man purrs, his head tilted back and his arms rising out to his sides, fingers spreading as if feeling a passing wind, "I could almost fly. By all means, lead on."

[smartass_captain]

"I have no idea what you're on about, but I'm glad you're enjoying this?" Jim shrugs and starts in a random direction that may be the entirely wrong way. How far out is whatever is out there? Do they need supplies?

Worries for later. For now Jim just wants to take a quick look around the area they already studied.

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

"It never ceases to astonish me that someone could overlook this," he counters, following in Jim's wake. "Ah, Captain, promise me you'll be good to this world. Dreams like these are too precious to spoil with excess rationality."

[smartass_captain]

"Well, I mean. I invited you here for a reason. This place seems like the sort of thing you'd like. And I wasn't wrong." Is the grass sentient? Is that what Schon's going on about? Best to stick to the dirt if at all possible.

"We're gonna leave it alone. We've documented our findings, finished our studies. nothing's going to be spoiled out here unless it's by someone other than us."

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

"Delightful, thank you," he sighs. Even caught up in heady bliss, though, he remembers how to bargain. "Is there any chance you might have it declared some sort of protected place? A nature preserve of sorts, perhaps?"

[smartass_captain]

In this case, it's wholly unnecessary. Jim smiles while they're strolling down a grassy hillside.

"The Prime Directive already protects places like this. We're not to interfere. Not to harm or change planets we come across. Just observe, and extend offers of diplomacy from the Federation should we find higher intelligence life forms. This place is protected just by being discovered."

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

"Ah? Good," Schön doesn't hide his relief. "There's no chance of some precious resource being found for which the world is strip-mined, or some curious phenomenon meriting rigorous academic scrutiny that might prompt that protection to be set aside?" He comes from the World of Darkness, any rule is malleable when there's gain to be had.

[smartass_captain]

"Yeaaaah we try pretty hard not to just wreck arbitrary planets. They get pissed when I violate the directive to save planets form natural disasters. Pretty sure turning one into a mining colony would go against protocol. Most colonies are set up by territory owned by some region or another. Since there's not already a colony here, I'm gonna assume no one owns this place already, because you know it'd be a tourist destination."

Jim stretches while they walk, happy to just be outside taking a quiet stroll with a friend. He doesn't get to see stuff like this nearly as often as he'd like. Most places are significantly more dangerous than this place is.

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

"A distinct comfort," Schön agrees. "It could not become a colony, could it?"

[smartass_captain]

"Not unless this planet is secretly owned by a Federation planet." Pause. He can sense the question coming. "And it's not. it's in the armpit of the galaxy, no one owns this place."

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

"Except the natives," he prompts gently.

[smartass_captain]

It's like having a conversation with Spock. Schon is really intent on something, something Jim doesn't understand. but it's important to him, and Jim is trying to be reassuring.

"Yeah. Cept the plants and the grass and whatever that's already living here. This is their planet and your picnic field trip. Yeah, there is a blanket and food set up back by where we beamed down. I figured you could use the break. You're welcome."

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

The thin man smiles. "That's very thoughtful of you, Captain, thank you. I may avail myself of it, later, but for now I think we are both quite anxious to meet whoever lives here, hmm?"