if i forgot who i am, would you please remind me

[hischair]

When: 26th onward.
Where: All over the City.
Rating: PG13 for angst/language/pissed off Jim, probably.
Characters: Treks, Pitch Black & others TBA.
Summary: Spock's departure.

Crew Orders: Uhura | Bones | Sulu | Chekov
CO Notif: Janeway

26th, Underground Search » closed to Pitch Black (from x)

28th, Absence » closed to Bones

29th-31st, City Labs » OTA

Comments

[rideofthefearlings]

Do you ever?

[ It's mostly rhetorical, though the undertone of amusement suggests Pitch knows the answer already even if Jim decides it's due a reply. ]

Not expressly mind, no... but despite appearances, you are poking around what I've taken as my residence.

[hischair]

[ His lip curls in the mirror-image of a smile. ]

Then I apologize, Mr. Black, but as you yourself know, I'm down one officer. [ The phaser follows the torch-light as he cautiously advances. ] As soon as I'm finished, I'll leave you in peace.

But I'm not leaving until I've seen every inch of this place with my own eyes, even if it takes all day and night.

[rideofthefearlings]

[ Something slavering and stocky moves past Jim and Pitch silently calls the Fearlings back, seeing very clearly what the Captain cannot: that they're circling like lions, just beyond where the torch's light is cast. They obey the unspoken order but they're like bees in a hive, thrumming in the shadows. ]

I will be frank with you, Captain: I dislike that tone.

[ But Jim's fear, his anxiety, it's singing like a harp note through the underground station and it's delicious. As easy as it would be to wrap him in a tendril of shadow and fling him out of his home, the Boogeyman wants to keep feeding that fear, not have it turn to anger-- like souring otherwise good milk. ]

But I know you are under duress and I will let it slide, this time. If you are so insistent in searching down here, then it makes good sense for me to expedite it. Look away for a moment, it will seem brighter than it is.

[ Pitch moves towards one of the wall mounted brass lights, now tarnished with age but it turns on at his touch, a very dated yellow incandescent glow -- nothing like the clean fluorescent he's probably used to -- spills across the tile towards Jim. ]

[hischair]

[ The phaser's hum heightens as he flips the safety, the immediate fright of that something touching him more of a disgusted shock than real fear. No, the only thing that terrifies him is the idea of leaving Spock down here at the mercy of such things; Jim has no self-preserving terror for himself, whether Pitch likes his tone or not.

The dim glow of the bulb is enough to have him lower the torch slightly as he squints through the illuminated shadows, flicking the light toward the feet of the figure he believes is Pitch. ]

What exactly have you got down here?

[rideofthefearlings]

[ Pitch stays behind the light so that only the leading edge of him is illuminated though as Jim's eyes adjust it will be more than adequate to light up the "room" that they're in. A stairwell is behind Pitch, dark steps yawning upward, while the curve of the tracks on the recessed ledge below catches the light on its trio of rails. At Jim's question, Pitch chuckles, a low and rolling sound. ]

Exceptional acoustics.

[hischair]

[ Snorting, he squints up at the tall shadowed man, doing his level best to remain diplomatic and not raise his torch, although he very much wants to. ]

I haven't got time to chat, Mr. Black, I need to finish searching. After this, I've got a forest to scour.

[rideofthefearlings]

I'm aware.

[ Jim's fears bubbled with knowledge of what lurked in those trees. Pitch uttered a put-upon sigh, gesturing down the curving tunnel before moving in that direction himself, pale hands clasped behind him as though they are to take a leisurely stroll. Some hundred yards ahead, a new light flickers on and the one behind them winks out. ]

Come along then, Captain. Mind the drop to the left.

[hischair]

[ Through the stress and worry, Jim glances over at Pitch as they walk. He really doesn't like the shifting shadow-monsters, but between them and their master he prefers to stick to their true north. After several minutes, his nature gets the better of his mood.

That, and he hates the echoing silence. ]

You're being very obliging. Thank you.

[ Said drop to the left gets a sweep of the torch-light in passing. ]

[rideofthefearlings]

[ The lights continue to make a trail like static yellow will o' wisps, lighting one section at a time. The underground station is actually quite large, perhaps intended to be more of a central stop than a mere way point in its day. The glows from the light -- always come on past Pitch, so that he never has to stand in front of it -- illuminate a surprising amount of attention to architecture and colour that has, in some spots, been wiped clear of dust and age. The fact that the lights work at all, even in this odd configuration, is proof enough that Pitch has been doing more down here than just inhabiting its shadows.

He makes an amused noise in the back of his throat when Jim finally speaks, glancing sidelong and down by several inches. ]

It is a sorry enough state down here without you stumbling around and knocking things over, yelling enough to shake the glass from its holdings.

[ One slim hand points upwards toward a pane of decorative glass high overhead though which dim moonlight filters. Of course that's only a small portion of his true reasoning here, though it's not a lie... it merely sounds better than telling the man that his presence bred fear from fear, and Pitch was enjoying it quite a lot. ]

And admirable intentions to locate your officer aside, you should not go rushing headlong into places where things hide.

[hischair]

[ It's very aesthetically unique, he'll say that if asked in the future. Creepy as hell, but he guesses that's Pitch's MO. ]

It's whether they're hiding him from me, that's all I care about.

[ Like a pane of glass, refusing to let them touch. If anyone ever assumes that role, Jim isn't sure he'll be held responsible for his actions. ]

[rideofthefearlings]

[ Pitch appreciates beauty when it also has function. They continue the path for another few moments until finally he turns, this time not stepping out of the lightglow, letting Jim see exactly the find of pointed look he's wearing, punctuated by eyes as gold as the halogen. ]

Why are you down here, Captain? And don't say you're only looking for your officer as we both know--

[ a taste. a feeling. a sense. yes, that fear there. ]

--you've reached the conclusion he's not down here in the tunnels with the rest of us shades.