Catching Up [for smartass_captain, backdated]

[boldygoing]

There's a good deal to do in the wake of the attack on Yorktown, even once he's given his debriefing to both the station's leadership as well as Starfleet Command. A thorough census of the survivors, checking in with the injured, composing letters for the families of the confirmed dead. For once, however, it feels as though he's not alone in such things, Yorktown in able hands as the station's leadership takes control of a good deal of the cleanup. It's strange, having both more and less paperwork than Jim had assumed there might be.

He'd be perfectly entitled to a leave on grounds of stress, but Jim has never been very good at just sitting still when there's work to be done.

It's an easier pace to keep up with, and despite taking it slow, he still finds that he has time to himself every day, time when he isn't really sure what to do with himself. Not until arrangements can be made to return to the planet and pick through the ruins of Enterprise.

An extended absence might be noted, but no one's likely to come looking for him in the night cycle, and there are no more shipboard emergencies that may demand his attention.

Two days after the attack on Yorktown, as the station's cycle turns to evening, he sends a message. Well you don't have to worry about me finding out anymore. Chess?

Comments

[smartass_captain]

A universe away Jim's swearing vehemently under his breath as he finishes cleaning up from a beta shift briefing he and Scotty had been having aboard the Enterprise-A. Guilt poisons his every breath as he skims over the message on his PINpoint for the third time. He'd forgotten what day it was.

Not entirely and not because Jim doesn't care. But time between dimensions is a tricky thing. Enough has been going on in his own life with his own ship and crew that while yes, Jim thinks about his alternate and what might happen to him a lot he'd somehow missed that it had been so long so fast. Never mind that no one expected Jim to keep track with his after every mission to make sure everything stayed on track. Their universes aren't the same, similar though they may be. If he only got in touch with his alternate to make sure the other wasn't having shit happen to him then Other Jim might start to get paranoid and it might make things worse and--

Breathe. Just breath Kirk.

Maybe it's not even the same thing. They shouldn't be discussing it but he's already swiping out a reply.

It's damn good to hear from you. Need me to bring anything?