When one door closes...[semi-ficpost, open to Schön]

[smartass_captain]

For one horrible moment, leaving the Nexus, there's just nothing. Jim steps through the doorway into what should have been his warp core's radiation safety door and everything falls away. It wasn't like going to Clint's home had been. A well used route that many minds knew how and where and why it should be. Or at least a few minds enough times.
Jim half expects to see himself lying dead on the other side of the door. Half expects the same inside-out burning he'd felt when the radiation poisoning had started to claim him. The panic knob inside his head is jammed firmly on low, however. So while he has these thoughts--these expectations-- Jim is strangely calm about it. Detached, almost.

It's a great relief to feel the metal floors beneath his feet once more. To feel the residual hum of the engines, purring along at peak efficiency like Scotty was always wont to do. But of course everything would be fine. If Jim wasn't here, that left Commander Spock in charge. No finer man to keep his ship and his crew safe. Jim isn't afraid, but the crushing sadness the thought brings him is almost staggering. Without him, everything was fine.

"...Right, well. Ship seems to be in order." Jim gets them out of the warp core area quickly. Despite not feeling afraid at the moment, he still isn't eager to linger. He heads for the nearest comm and punches in his code.

"This is Captain Kirk to the Bridge. Mister Spock, do you copy?"

They are walking in a marvel of future technology and dreams realized. Jim turns back to his guest, his face quirking up just slightly at one side. "You can make sure it will take me back, right? Before the rabble shows up?"

It won't be long.

Comments

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

((First off, nice narration and world-building. I like the idea that a new or little-used Nexus portal isn't as fully-formed, and feels a little weird, that's a nice touch.))

Schön follows Captain Kirk at a careful, sedate pace. He steps out of the Nexus often enough, to meet with suppliers or make good on promises, but he usually favors magic-rich worlds. Here, the cold grip of Banality starts to chill him right away. There might be only a few hundred mortal minds, here, but they're very scientific, very analytical, and very certain they know how the universe works. He'll have to keep his visit brief.

The captain's question, meanwhile raises a very valid concern. "Of course, Captain. Do give me but a moment." Turning back to the door through which they've just come, he runs his fingertips over it, striving to feel the portal within, learn its ways and wishes, learn what it needs in order to open again.

[smartass_captain]

It's hard to read Schön, which is probably just the way he likes it. Jim didn't know what he was expecting, really. This man has been nothing but calm and helpful. What was with him and running into people so in control of themselves compared to him? It brings a low chuckle to Jim's throat. Spock might get along swimmingly with Schön. Or he'd distrust him completely. Which, given the circumstances, seemed pretty likely.

"You know, I really didn't think this through when I suggested we come here. My CMO and First Officer are gonna go nuts. Does time pass normally between worlds? I mean, if I've been gone for days, since the shuttle..." Jim furrows his eyebrows as things he really should have thought about beforehand start occurring.

((Thank you :) I wanted to give it an air of magic considering how Schön seems to operate))

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

((Well done on that score, then, thanks!))

"Difficult to predict," Schön admits, his tone slightly distracted as he focuses on the door. "Some run at the same pace, some more swiftly, some slower. I have even heard of paths through the Nexus that allow one to step back through the days--but there are perils." Not that the clever fae expects Jim Kirk to be dissuaded by talk of perils, should the idea catch his interest.

Giving a slight, satisfied nod to himself, Schön straightens from his examination of the door. "There. I believe one of the standard incantations will work, now. Would you prefer I leave you to greet your officers alone?"

[smartass_captain]

"This really isn't your sort of place, is it?" Jim gestures around them, and to be honest--they're in engineering. It's a maze of cooling pipes and engines and things Schön cannot even begin to name. Decidedly not magic, though. That much is for certain.

"I really appreciate the help though." Jim's smile is sincere. "You sure all you want is a lock of my hair? I'm sure I could scrounge up a better souvenir from my world than that." Bones would have ten aneurysms in a row if he knew Jim had traded over a sample of his DNA profile to a complete stranger as payment. But while Jim is smart, he is not smart in that way. "Anything you'd like me to bring back for you next time? Within reason, obviously, but."

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

"Hm? Ah, I was simply thinking of you, Captain. I shouldn't wish to complicate matters for you with your officers. I would hate to overstay my welcome. If you don't think it would be a problem, however, I should be quite pleased to remain." Schön smiles, quite pleased to be away from Verity and her propensity for cracking poker faces. He's worked so hard on his.

"A bargain is a bargain, Captain, I'd have no honor left if I sought more than was agreed upon. But I do have a couple favors coming my way, and I shall be certain to think on them."

[smartass_captain]

"Yeah? Damn you've been ten kinds of helpful though. Getting me back here and everything." Jim hears a beeping at the comm and sighs.

"Kirk here."

Captain? Remain where you are, I have security on their way to escort you to medbay. Can you stand?

Jim actually laughs. his smile taking on a life it hasn't while the captain was in the Nexus.

"I'm fine, Spock. I'll go check in with Bones, then head to the bridge. Sit tight."

Captain I must insist upon your safety. I will be waiting in medbay with Dr. McCoy.

"Not getting out of this, huh? See you soon, Kirk out." Jim can't manage to stop chuckling to himself, despite the way he rubs at his head as though it's a pain. When he finally turns back to Schön, Jim does look rather apologetic. "Tell you what. Let me sort this whole mess out, and I'll give you the grand tour next time, okay? I'll bring you a drink too, if we get a moment off planet for me to obtain a bottle." Ever the close type, Jim claps Schön on the shoulder, still grinning. "You got it. I definitely owe you for this."

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

"I'm so pleased when my help is appreciated," he replies; it makes a nice change. He listens quietly while Jim is engaged on the comm, and nods at Jim's proposal.

"Before you go, perhaps I should show you how to open the portal again?" he suggests. "As one more little favor?"

[smartass_captain]

"Don't see why it wouldn't. You're alright." Jim peers around a pipe a moment, then nods eagerly. "Please, yeah. I can't go back to give you the tour if I can't open the uh." Well he can open the door, its a matter of it taking him where he needs to go instead of where he never wants to go again.

"...The thing. So I can get back to the Nexus." Eloquent, Jim.

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

"Naturally," he agrees, keeping the wry thread out of his voice. Shrugging out of his jacket, he explains, "you shouldn't need the raiment every time, but as this is the first opening from this side, it's best to do these things properly, yes?"

Turning his jacket inside out, he gives it a shake--and it's suddenly something else. A leather jacket, right-side-out, complete with a few patches. Schön continues explaining as he pulls it on: "for you, the incantation should be enough."

Turning to the door, he raises one hand in a fist, giving it a careful thump. Turning on his heels, he brings both his arms to his side, bent at the elbow, his fingers curled fistlike, his thumbs held upright--at least, until he swivels them to point toward himself and intones a solemn, "eyyy."

After a beat, the door slides open on the hall of doors.

I am laughing so hard you don't even know

[smartass_captain]

Possibly the saddest thing about this entire situation is that the reference will completely go over Jim's head. He screw up his face in a way that says he's clearly about to call 'bullshit' on the entire thing. But then it works and Jim can only gape at the doorway that has appeared once more.

"Holy shit." Jim shakes his head, as if trying to jumpstart his brain again. "I..I mean...do I need the jacket? I totally have one of those. Sort of." That is amazing.

I have been waiting SO LONG for Schön to do that to a portal, you don't even know.

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

"Do you? It couldn't hurt. But as I said, you shouldn't usually need the raiment, just the incantation." He shrugs out of the leather jacket, to turn it back into his suit jacket. "Still, if ever it's feeling, hm, finnicky. Well, best to go all out."

Turning to go, he pauses to regard the portal once more. Over his shoulder, he remarks to Jim, "you know, this really is quite an exceptional portal. They don't usually attach themselves to something so mobile. Something exceptional must have happened here; something to change the fate of the stars themselves. Food for thought--until next time, Captain." He steps through, and the door hisses shut.