Turtles: the final frontier

[starcharter]

Characters: Chekov and YOU
Date: Today-ish
Location: Absolutely everywhere
Situation: Chekov has been snatched from the Enterprise and dropped shoeless and confused into a city on the back of a turtle. Clearly the solution is to look around and go shopping.
Warnings/Rating: None


At first, he'd thought it was a very, very strange dream. Of course, that theory was debunked about two minutes in when he pinched himself. Then he was carted from a grand palace to a reasonably large city. He couldn't identify this particular race of aliens, but it's clear that their technology lags far behind the Federation's. So he stays quiet. So do they, actually. The few questions he asked-- generic questions-- he'd gotten little scraps of information and a lot of 'that's the Emperor's business.' A monarchy. That explains the palace, he supposes.

Once they show him his suite (it was pretty nice) and dropped some money into his hands (money? How outdated), Chekov decides to set off. He needs to change out of his uniform, just to be safe. The Prime Directive is that one rule you don't want to break in Starfleet. Even hinting at the fact that he was from a world more advanced than this one is a bad idea. He needs to blend in as much as he can.

A little hard to do when you're standing shoeless in the middle of Metal Sector.

Alright. He focuses: clothes, food, crew, answers. Without any kind of Starfleet communication device, he's going to have to hoof it around the city. Just as well: not having a mental map of this place bothers him; he might as well start making one now.

Comments

[jirk]

"Hey, what've I told you about no-win scenarios?" Jim doesn't even try to pull the car away from the curb just yet, he sits and listens to the purr of that old engine. "Whatever this is, we'll beat it. Because we're awesome, and that's the end of it."

Chekov's seen more than he has. More than Spock and Bones. Just how heavily did everything that had happened weigh on him? His expression tightens briefly, and he has to look away. Everybody's gotta grow up sometime, he's just sorry Chekov had to do it so fast, and under his command. That makes him responsible for it in a way he's not entirely happy about.

"Demands? Oh, you mean besides the whole 'here fight this bullshit war I can't manage on my own because I said so also here's some free digs for you to enjoy in the meantime'? Not much, no."

[starcharter]

He smiles. "I said 'nightmare,' Captain, not 'impossible.'"

Chekov had to grow up someday. He'd been a little young and naive when he'd enrolled in Starfleet. Given the history of the known universe, expecting nothing but peaceful exploration and discovery was childish. Then again, he had been a child. But not anymore. Not since the moment the Enterprise flew into the field of debris. Dead friends, dead comrades. Yes, he grew up quickly, but now he's more prepared for what's really out there.

"The city does not look like it is at war. What exactly does he expect us to fight?"

Chekov is incredibly unimpressed. Take him away from the Enterprise to fight a war? He was tired of war.

[jirk]

"We've faced down plenty of those, too." Jim rolls his shoulders and slouches in his seat. "We'll do fine. Come on, which building did the kedan say you were in? I'll take you."

And answer the rest of your questions there. He's not sure how much he wants to talk about the Emperor and her war out here on the streets. Not that it's likely any safer or farther away from prying eyes and listening ears in one of the suites (maybe he could steal Kyle's ring to have a discussion) but at least he's got more control of the situation that way.

[starcharter]

"ME-1D. It's about a kilometer and a half east of here."

Damn right the navigator knows his way back to his suite. Chekov leans back in the car, content to have his questions answered in private.

[jirk]

"You might want to buckle up, kid." Jim offers him a smile - he's as good a driver as he is a pilot, and given the causeways here it's not like he can really get up to speed, but better safe than sorry. If he breaks their navigator, Bones and Spock will collude to feed him to the turtle.

And then he floors it. Okay, so he grabs a little rubber on the way, because he's Jim Kirk and this car's built for all the speeds he'd rather coax out of a starship to the power of about seventeen thousand, nineteen hundred and three.

Or so. Sue him, he's a captain, not a mathematician.

He knows the building, and makes it in record time. Parks the car, vaults out and tosses the keys in the air as he heads towards the building, glancing once over his shoulder to make sure Chekov's following.

[starcharter]

"Aye, Captain."

Chekov puts on his seatbelt (not too different from shuttle harnesses, though it seems a bit flimsy). When Kirk hits the gas and peels out, Chekov smiles. Some people would grip the dashboard and admonish the Captain about save driving (not naming names or anything). But Chekov, on the other hand, finds it exhilarating. Then again, he trusts Kirk with his life so he has absolutely no doubt that Kirk wouldn't put it at risk needlessly.

When the car stops, he unbuckles and actually uses the door like someone who's not Jim Kirk. He opens the door for Kirk, though it was unlocked anyway. Locking doors is so 21st century.

His suite only has the standard furniture in it, and nothing is out of place. Then again, he'd poked around and promptly left to find the crew.

[jirk]

Jim steps into the suite like he owns it, sets about doing a brief inspection with his tricorder, which he then tosses in an underhand to Chekov. "Here. You'll get more use out of it than I would." And it's obvious the kid doesn't have one, or he'd be all over examining everything by now. "We'll work on getting you a communicator and a phaser. I'm sure between you and Spock, you can figure something out."

[starcharter]

Chekov catches it easily. Understanding dawns on his face. They're being monitored. He'll have to do a more thorough sweep of his room later.

"Thank you, sir. I will look for supplies as soon as I can."

To a lot of people, it would look like Chekov took it as an order. He didn't-- the people who know him know that he's simply already in problem-solving mode mixed with his natural politeness to the Captain.

He sits on one of the chairs, indicating that he's ready to listen if Kirk is ready to talk.

[jirk]

Atta boy. The pride and affection is plainly written in both his expression and his posture. Chekov's always been good at picking up on his nuances. His entire crew is, honestly, but Chekov's the youngest and he gets the most mother-henning from the rest of them. For obvious reasons. But he's smart and competent and Jim is glad - honestly glad - to have him here.

Oh, don't get him wrong. He'd rather the kid be back home, but that doesn't mean he's not happy to see him.

"Okay. Long story short, the Emperor - who's a woman, by the way - is bringing us here to fight against a creature. French word for 'bad' and 'I can't'. We're not supposed to say the name aloud, it's been heavily implied that doing so will summon the damn thing. A lot of the locals are either corrupt and supporting it, or refusing to help. There've been other 'heroes' like us here before, but it looks like they all got wiped out trying to stuff Mally into a box." He pauses, to see if Chekov's keeping up with the information.

[starcharter]

Chekov listens quietly, absorbing the information. To say he's unhappy being dragged into a war is an understatement. It shows all over his face.

"This Emperor brought us here to fight a war with little information against something that can hear everything we say? Very inconsiderate of her."

Despite his light tone, he's very unhappy.

[jirk]

"Yeah, well, I don't think 'considerate' is even in her vocabulary." Jim frowns a little, and then gives Chekov a Look. Capital letters, because Captain reasons. "Listen. Watch what you say about her and to who, okay? If there's anything official that comes up - she does audiences, apparently - Spock or I'll handle it. I don't want you getting involved in all--" he waves a hand dismissively. "That."

[starcharter]

"Understood."

It makes far more sense for Spock and Kirk to deal with the diplomacy side of things, even if the Emperor seemed, well. He doubted she was very diplomatic.

"Should I be cautious about anything else?"

[jirk]

"Look both ways before crossing the street," Jim said sternly, clapping the kid on the shoulder. "And don't take any candy from strangers, okay?" It's teasing, but the sentiment is clear enough, and Chekov knows him well enough to parse his meaning from the words. It's not Jim being condescending in the least - he knows, has seen what this kid can do. But Jim does worry about him. He's not the same kid he was back at the academy, but damnit. Captain's prerogative.

[starcharter]

Chekov nods. Common sense, he can do that. His Academy training probably doesn't hurt in that regard either; how much training have they had in dealing with alien cultures?

"I will. Doctor McCoy would be very annoyed if I got hurt by a speeding cart."

Just imagining the conversation that would cause makes Chekov smile a little.

[jirk]

"Forget McCoy, I'd be pissed." Jim bats at the back of Chekov's head, not quite a smack but enough to ruffle his hair. "Okay, I've got some business to take care of, here. You gonna be okay by yourself for a while?"

[starcharter]

Chekov cracks a grin, then turns to face Kirk.

"Yes, Captain. I will just familiarize myself with everything in the meantime."

Part of which will involve scanning every single nook and cranny of this room.

[jirk]

It's good to see one of his crewmembers arrive and able to smile. Spock was too broken, and Bones-- well, Bones never smiled to begin with, so maybe he shouldn't rely on it too much to begin with.

Jim nods to Chekov, brisk. Back in captain mode. "I'll be in touch. You can use the console to talk to me if you need to, we'll work on getting you your equipment. It'll work out, and I'll swing by tomorrow, okay?"

[starcharter]

His smile doesn't waver as he nods.

"Yes, sir."

At the very least, Chekov doesn't feel (or seem) so lost and confused. Something sinister is waiting for them and they're stranded in a strange place. But he knows it'll work out, even without Kirk saying so. Because they'll all stick together.