captivity

[full_of_wrath]

Kirk gets called in. Mostly because Khan has made two duty officers guarding his cell ask to be relieved, one of them in tears.

He creates a lot of wear and tear, in general.

Comments

[full_of_wrath]

"Captain."

Says Khan, solemnly, though he'd just seen him yesterday. He moves to follow him, without needing to be told.

[kobayashiwhatnow]

Kirk takes him to his quarters, first.

"Your shifts are nine hours. You'll be with Spock three days, with Uhura for two, and the other two you'll be doing basic service."

[full_of_wrath]

"Yes, sir."

He agrees, striding after him, keeping a comfortable foot behind. The guards follow crisply.

[kobayashiwhatnow]

He shows him how to work the replicators, the communicators. The lifts are pretty much the same as they've been for 400 years, so he leaves those to Khan.

Service, today, will be shining the Officers' boots.

[full_of_wrath]

It feels faintly like crashing into a wall of glass he didn't know was there. He'd seen a future for himself, coming here, working on something fascinating that didn't involve death or strategy, letting himself be useful and being stimulated and potentially, eventually, content.

Swallowing disappointment without betraying so much as a blink, he goes to pick up the brush, and settles onto the ground. Boot blacking it is, but the sudden vision of the rest of his life stretching into meaningless drudgery makes him fumble and drop the brush on the first try.

[kobayashiwhatnow]

There were a few reasons Kirk came up with that 'general' service for him. One is that all cadets start that way, and it provides time to think and focus on small details.

The other is that, when his own shift is over, he can come down and sit by Khan.

"Tomorrow will have more life to it."

[full_of_wrath]

"This is fine, sir."

He promises, settling down to the task, working the old fashioned way with the brush, the polish, the black rag. He resolutely ignores Kirk and focuses on the leather.

[kobayashiwhatnow]

Kirk stretches out his legs, eyeing his own boots.

"Well, at least you know what you're doing. I got assigned this shit and I bribed people to do it for me."

[full_of_wrath]

"It's a very old ritual, for some."

Is all he'll say about that, working a little harder on a badly scuffed pair.

[kobayashiwhatnow]

"Yeah, we kept a lot of those. We still send off new ships by breaking a champagne bottle on the hull."

He leans forward, elbows on his knees.

"This isn't supposed to just be mind numbing menial labor."

[full_of_wrath]

He glances up in surprise. He hadn't complained, but the expectation is a little obvious based on his surprise at the contradicting information he's getting.

"What is it?"

[kobayashiwhatnow]

And now Kirk seems somehow self-conscious. He smiles, amused at himself.

"Everyone on this ship knew Pike. Most of them knew him personally. And this is what he had me do a couple of times when I really pissed him off. It seemed fitting."

He coughs, clears his throat.

"My thinking is this: you hurt me. Your service helps heal that. If you come up with a better way, I'm open to it. Truth is I never cared how shiny my own boots were."

[full_of_wrath]

"This is fine, Captain. I'm sure the news of my kneeling at your feet will circulate promptly. It'll set their minds at ease."

He explains, going on to the next pair, setting the ones before into the row of gleaming black.

"If they do understand that my throat is under your boot, they'll be less afraid, and this will be easier on all of us. I can shine leather, for that."

[kobayashiwhatnow]

"Yeah."

That had been part of his thinking; Kirk is a strategist, and part of that means knowing how to manipulate other people's emotions.

"They know you're the bootblack for the next month or so. I wanted them to think about that when they put on their boots. ...I'm glad you're taking this so well."

[full_of_wrath]

He suddenly isn't. The brush drops again, with a clatter, and then he has it back in his hand but can't manage quite to work and breathe simultaneously, having to pause his hands whenever he wants a breath in.

Despair is a singularly unpleasant sensation. He puts his back to Kirk and carries on working.

[kobayashiwhatnow]

It's not something he can ignore, this time. Earlier he had assumed it was because Khan didn't understand the order, and the reason behind it.

"Khan."

[full_of_wrath]

"Yes, Captain?"

He answers, perfectly schooled, hands more even now.

He can do this. He's done, he reminds himself, far worse.

[kobayashiwhatnow]

"What's going on?"

He leans over, and takes the brush. None of that avoiding the issue crap.

[full_of_wrath]

"Nothing I'm inclined to discuss. Please permit me to continue, there are a lot of boots."

Nails digging into the standard-issue carpet that comes in rooms like these.

[kobayashiwhatnow]

"I'd rather you tell me what you think of this brand of service."

Showing compassion doesn't mean coddling, Kirk tells himself. He's not sure he agrees with the way he's handling this.

[full_of_wrath]

"What do you mean, what do I think of it?"

He questions, reaching out and trying to take the brush from his hand.

"Of which part?"

[kobayashiwhatnow]

"Of all of it. Of you shining boots to start making amends."

He allows him to take it.

"You're obviously having some issue with it, and now's the time to come clean."

[full_of_wrath]

"I don't like the idea of their taking part in my humiliation. I see why it is necessary."

But he's keeping his eyes on the floor.

"But their thinking of me and their boots every morning- I'd rather you not say that to me again."

[kobayashiwhatnow]

"It's not meant to be humiliation. Every single person here has been where you are, cleaning boots. Look, I meant it to be solidarity, to show them that you're going through the same thing they have--"

He stops himself, exhales.

"Maybe you're right. Let's come up with something else."

[full_of_wrath]

"No. They know, now, if I back away from it it will prove everything they worry about, with regards to my power over you. It'll mean it for them, and in the end, it'll mean it for you. It's important that it continue."

He tells him, because he's a formidable tactician in his own right. Which is part of the problem. He isn't a child, a cadet, who needs to learn better. He's a genius strategist with a seasoned lifetime of command.

He picks up the next boot, and starts once more.

"Tell me about Earth?"