trans_9 | Cut 'em out, ride 'em in. [Open]

Even captains need their moments of rest and relaxation. Kirk had retreated to the Sensoriums to try and catch his breath and ease some of the tension from the past few months. This ship was draining, sometimes in the extreme. Not for the first time he missed Enterprise. She had been his ship, for better or for worse and now that she was gone, he found he missed her more then ever. That didn't even account for the crew. Sulu, McCoy, Uhura, Scotty, Chekov - he wished he had them here right now. Their advice and support would meant quite a lot. As it was, Spock had recently arrived, but he seemed different somehow. Something he hadn't been able to put his finger on yet.

Kirk sighed to himself and finished saddling his (virtual) horse. The whole affair with Roxie Schreiber had gotten too far out of control. He'd reacted instead of letting himself think. He'd overstepped his boundaries. In one smooth motion, he slip up onto the horse, settling himself in the saddle. An apology to the crew at large was probably in order. They had a trust in him that he'd violated to a certain degree. He just wished that some of them returned that trust.

Giving up was out of the question, though. There was no such thing as a no-win situation. With a click of his tongue, Kirk flicked the reins and set the horse out into a steady trot. Ahead of him were rolling hills and blue skies. A beautiful day for a ride.

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"It is. But if they're lying, why are we here? For what purpose? I want to discover these things just as much as you do. If you can give me proof either way, I'd gladly accept it. As it is, I have to weigh the options. If I don't believe them and it turns out they're right we might lose all of existence. If they weren't telling the truth, well... we've no idea what they intend to do with us."

"I have no more proof that they are lying than you do that they are not," Castiel replied. It wasn't likely to make Kirk's decision--or anyone's for that matter--any easier but it would, hopefully, give them pause to consider it further. "What I do know is that Existence is not in jeopardy. God would not permit it."

"I'm not sure God has anything to do with it. There are a lot of things God shouldn't permit, at least in theory and according to certain sects of religions. That doesn't mean he's actually going to intervene." He leaned back in his saddle, staring out over the rolling landscape.

"He already has," Cas stated, rather confidently, in fact. There was something about the way he said it, his tone, the expression--or lack thereof--on his face, that would suggest that he not only believed it but that he somehow knew it.

"Well, divine intervention or not, I'd rather take matters into my own hands," Kirk retorted, "We've got a lot of work to do just to survive. My primary concern is keeping us together and making sure we all live through this."

Castiel lowered his gaze for a moment, staring at the false ground at his feet before looking back up at Kirk and nodded. "There is dissension amongst your people," he agreed and the choice of 'your people' rather than 'the crew' was intentional. "Might I offer advice, one warrior to another?"

"I know..." Kirk patted the horse again as it lowered its head to nibble at the grass. "Honestly, I'll take whatever advice you care to give."

"In order to lead this crew, you must first be part of it," he said plainly. "Distance will not earn you their trust, nor them yours. They are suspicious of you and the rest of the command staff, they do not trust you for the same reason you do not trust God, because they do not know you. So, like you, they choose to take matters into their own hands."

The angel paused as he prepared to say something that an obedient angel ought not to.

"You and your lieutenants must not make the same mistake He did. No one can afford it."

"I'll keep that in mind. Thank you."

Kirk nodded sincerely. He meant it, too.

Cas returned the nod.

"You know how to reach me if you need me," he offered. Then, just as suddenly as he appeared, he was gone again.

Cut 'em out, ride 'em in. [Open]

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