Be My Guest

[losthunter]

Hunter is hosting a few guests at his Nexus apartment tonight. Hunter had been planning this night for awhile, ever since meeting some of the crew members of Jim's ship, getting to know them better, and then telling them about the Nexus. He has been busy planning for the evening, including grocery shopping for some home-made recipes, and finishing some art pieces that will be given as gifts.

Hunter has arranged so that the PINpoint portal is basically connected to his front door. His open concept kitchen and living room will be the first thing that his guests will see, once they arrive through the PINpoint portal. There is a small closet located to the left of the door where they can place any jackets.

The dining room in the living room has been set with all the dining places for his guests. He decided against placecards, since it is more freedom to allow his guests to choose their own seats. On the island in the kitchen is a large plate of vegetarian-friendly appetizers, which features Lavash bread topped with Guacamole and red bell peppers, alongside crescent rolls filled with Jalapeño, mushrooms and asparagus.

The open concept living room immediately flows into Hunter's art studio, where he has a few pieces still being created. There is a large set of French doors that leads out from the living room to an outdoor patio, where there is a rose garden outside. The every-spanning Nexus can be viewed from the patio balcony. Right now, the Nexus is showing the lakeside, where Hunter had first appeared when he had needed support the most.

There are a few closed doors along one wall, one of which that leads to the bathroom, and the other of which leads to Hunter's bedroom.

As Hunter chills some wine, and checks on his main course, he is pretty ready for his guests to arrive. He is feeling excited and happy to be a host.

Comments

[losthunter]

Hunter gives Jim an apologetic look. He didn't mean to make him uncomfortable.

"You found a way to win, in a no-win situation." Sometimes in life, you have to find ways to 'cheat the system'. And Hunter has no judgement on Jim's decision to find his own way.

"Is there a way you could change the test for future generations? So they are still tested for command... but are not given a situation that can't be won?"

[boldygoing]

"Maybe," Jim answers. "They might be thinking about it already. I got brought up on charges of academic dishonesty, but by the time everything was all over, I got a commendation for original thinking. I didn't do it because I wanted the spotlight, I did it out of protest."

The captain pauses for a moment, trying to decide how much about this he really wants to share. His family has always been a sore spot, but everyone knows the story. "Everyone's kind of come to see what happened to my dad as the ultimate Kobayashi Maru, because he died and the Kelvin got destroyed. But someone I met in the Nexus got me thinking that maybe that's not losing. He got what he wanted: eight hundred souls saved. I wasn't thinking about it when I went in the warp core, but if he lost, then so did I." He looks up at them, uncertain. "It's not like self-sacrifice isn't part of our duty, I just don't know if I'm the right role model for that. You know?"

[losthunter]

Hunter takes Jim's hand in his own again. "I don't think there is any good role model for self-sacrifice. Most of those who decided to sacrifice themselves are gone..."

"We almost lost you Jim. And no one would be around to tell the tale. To explain how it feels to be a survivor, when you weren't planning to survive."

"Those cadets should be ready for that part of their duty. And perhaps it will help a whole generation of future captains to hear from a self-sacrifice survivor."

Hunter shrugs his shoulders. "It could save countless lives in the future. Because instead of a no-win situation, they understand the whole point of sacrifice."

"I know you would give anything to have your dad around. To explain what he felt."

"You have that opportunity."

[boldygoing]

All good arguments, and Jim musters up a small smile. "I just don't want them to think about that option first, before they've tried everything else."

"Thank the Lord for that," McCoy mutters into his wine.

"Captain," Spock says, "I do not believe there is any active duty officer more qualified to speak on the matter than yourself. If you desire it, I can assist you in altering the simulation reflect your valid criticisms of its function, and provide my support in submitting the revised program to Starfleet."

[losthunter]

"Just think, you might change that program for the better." Hunter hopes it works out for them.

He checks around the table, to see if anyone is needing seconds, or wants another serving of wine. He also has a non-alcoholic cider ready if anyone wants to switch to something else.

[boldygoing]

"All right, fine, I guess I'm teaching Tactics then," Jim concedes. He's still unsure if any good will come of it, but he also hasn't made a habit of giving up before he's even started.

Spock is definitely going to take him up on switching to a non-alcoholic drink, and though Jim would rather have more wine, he knows he won't get away with it since McCoy is sitting right next to him. The doctor takes another helping of chicken and shrimp, and Uhura splits more pineapple and tofu with Spock.

[losthunter]

Hunter steps from the table to get the cider for both Spock and Jim. He also takes the opportunity to putdessert onto the table. Tonight he is serving smores cupcakes, complimented with a smores-flavored ice cream.

There is a shift in lighting from outside, as the Nexus changes its viewpoint, and now the tall buildings of New York City can be viewed just outside his balcony.

[boldygoing]

Uhura doesn't quite hide a smile when she sees what's for dessert, and looks over at Spock. "Do you want me to eat yours?"

Spock tilts his head slightly, examining the cupcakes and ice cream with a scientifically critical eye. "That should be unnecessary. The cocoa content is comparable to the alcoholic content of your wine. It is... fair," he decides.

McCoy is startled by the change in the view, and even though Hunter already told him about it, it's a different thing to see it himself. "What in blazes...? That is just weird."

"Trust me, Bones, you don't know the half of it," Jim says with a grin as he digs into his dessert.

[losthunter]

"I did make extras, just in case you want more." Hunter tells Uhura. He is glad that Spock had decided to partake in the dessert. He wouldn't want him to be sitting without nothing.

"You wouldn't believe some of the things I have seen."

[boldygoing]

"Oh, no, it's not that," Uhura says, flashing a smile at Hunter. It's easy for them to forget sometimes that he's not familiar with Vulcan biological quirks. "Alcohol doesn't affect Vulcans like it does with humans, but chocolate does."

"The quantity is small enough that I should not become impaired," Spock assures him.

[losthunter]

"Oh!" Hunter blushes. He hadn't known that. "And at least you are with designated chocolate-eaters."

[boldygoing]

"Sorry," Jim apologizes, since he was the one who was supposed to inform their host of any food issues. He hadn't remembered the chocolate, either. "Spock's right though, it's fair this way, since we've all had a bit of wine tonight."

[losthunter]

"And if we have to do a sleep-over, I can get the Nexus to make more rooms."

[boldygoing]

"What if someone notices we're gone?" McCoy asks, still watching the scene through the window in uncertain fascination.

"Bones, your ice cream's melting," Jim points out, dragging the doctor's attention back to the table. "That's the best part. Time flows really weirdly here, so we'll get back pretty much when we left."

"A time dilation field?" Spock murmurs in between careful, precise bites of cupcake. "Interesting."

[losthunter]

"It can be helpful, if you are here for a couple hours, since you are able to return back at the same time as you left."

"It is also possible to adjust the time dilation, so that if you decide to permanently move into the Nexus -- your home dimension isn't permanently on pause."

[boldygoing]

"I wonder if that affects people's birthdays," Uhura says, thinking out loud. "Whether people would get older faster."

[losthunter]

"There are a few people I know who live in the Nexus. My best friend Verity still ages on what would be an Earth year calendar."

"And Schön... well, he is sort of ageless."

[boldygoing]

"So if you went back and forth a lot, you could end up a bit older than your birthday says you are," Uhura concludes.

"Speaking of which, when is your birthday, Hunter?" Jim asks. While he doesn't like celebrating his own, the captain likes to be able to observe his friends' birthdays whenever they come around.

[losthunter]

"May 1st. Verity held me a big bash. I turned 25." He smiles.

[boldygoing]

"Mazel tov," Jim replies with a grin.

"Is the twenty-fifth birthday significant in your traditions?" Spock asks, curious.

[losthunter]

"No. But it was my first birthday in the Nexus. With some new friends."

"Verity wanted to make it special."

[boldygoing]

"That was nice of her." Jim has only met Verity the one time, and she seems like a decent person to him.

[losthunter]

"And your birthday?" Hunter smiles.

[boldygoing]

Jim's smile dims a little, but he's not so bitter about his birthday that he can't talk about it. "January fourth." He brings back the smile a bit, though, as he nods towards his first officer. "Spock's birthday is two days after mine, funnily enough."

[losthunter]

"And if I remember correctly, Vulcans age differently than humans. But your birthdate is still a set day in a year?" It occurs to him that he never asked Jim his age. Perhaps another time. He noted that the smile was a little dim.