( closed ) I wanna know, have you ever seen the rain

[winscenario]

who: Jim Kirk & various
what: catch-all for several threads
when: late February, possibly through early March
where: various places around the Quarantine
warnings: nsfw in one thread

(( ooc: I'm just tossing starters in here for different people, but feel free to poke me through PM or @ extreminator if you'd like a thread with Jim, and we can work something out. Don't be shy! I won't bite. ;) ))

Comments

[snapkaboom]

Huh? [Even as the Kirk piloted the ship to have it turn back towards the moon, Roy found himself completely lost in the view.]

Oh, yes, I'm fine. I just lost myself for a moment there.

[Roy now had a much better understanding of what Jim said earlier; about feeling so tiny, yet still being a part of something so large and fantastic.

Kirk also hadn't been exaggerating about how overwhelming it could be. While the experience was beyond what he could have expected or hoped for, he found himself really wanting to have solid rock underneath his feet about now.]

I uh...I think now would be a good time to head back if you don't mind.

[winscenario]

[ He couldn't blame Roy, honestly. It was an impressive sight even to someone a little more used to the notion of space travel. To someone who had never even flown in his life... well, Jim couldn't even begin to imagine how intense and overwhelming all this was to him.

He gave the man all the time he needed to process what he was seeing, or at least try. At least he was managing to stay pretty calm, which was something. Jim wouldn't have been surprised if he'd started panicking or hyperventilating, but he was glad that wasn't the case.

At the request to go back, Jim nodded and promptly started piloting the shuttle towards the moon again. The flight was straight ahead first, then he started to change the angle as they reached the first layer of clouds, a more parallel flight taking them past until they could see the forest more up close. The lower they got, the easier it would be for Roy to tell the trees and rocks apart, and as they slowed down considerably, he should hopefully feel more at ease. ]

[snapkaboom]

[The reason Roy was able to keep it together was because of Jim's smooth piloting, though the fact that the ship itself flew so effortlessly through the air also helped. If he had been less understanding of Roy's lack of experience and flew the shuttle in a less predictable manner, Roy's disposition would be very different.

Roy was anxious to get his feet back on the ground, and he fidgeted in his seat as they lost altitude. The view of the moon and the planet they orbited, along with the countless stars and sun was an amazing sight he would never forget, but he felt vulnerable up there. As much as Jim proved that he could be trusted, his anxiety over the lack of control he had up there had started to creep up on him.

However, the closer they got to the ground, the more Roy relaxed. His grip on his restraints loosened and by the time the trees and landscape became more detailed, he was at least able to sit back and calmly watch the view out the large window.]

How long have been flying these things?

[winscenario]

[ Just in case that Roy might have a full-blown panic attack while in the air, Jim made the trip back down a little quicker, slowing down a little only when he noticed the other man relax. He kept his eyes ahead anyway, doing a sweep over the abandoned city before heading back towards the Quarantine. ]

This shuttle specifically, only for a few months. But I've learned to pilot shuttles almost ten years ago, when I joined Starfleet Academy.

[ The shuttle bay doors were still open as he'd left them, so he didn't have to slow down or wait, instead piloting the shuttle inside. ]

I didn't get to pilot shuttles very often as a Captain, but it's not the kind of thing you just forget. Plus, it's really easy when you get the hang of it.

[snapkaboom]

[Roy was very glad to be reentering the hangar. He glanced over at Jim to see when it was ok to start unstrapping himself, though it seemed like they hadn't quite touched down yet.]

So like riding a bicycle then? [The comparison between a space shuttle and a bike seemed pretty stupid once it came out of Roy's mouth.] Well, a more complicated bicycle I guess.

[winscenario]

[ He chuckled at the comparison anyway, shrugging a little. ] It can't compare. But yes, it's not something you easily forget.

[ One could get a little rusty, but Jim hadn't stopped piloting shuttles altogether either, so. He didn't quite lost that practice.

Once they reached the shuttle's spot, he set down the vessel carefully. They shook just barely as they touched the ground, then Jim let the engines to cool down after he turned them offline. ]

You can unstrap yourself now. [ He pointed out, knowing that Roy was already waiting for the moment when he could do that. ]

Let me know if you want to continue or handwave. Sorry for the delay.

[snapkaboom]

Right.

[Roy fiddled with the straps a bit before he was able to completely free himself from them. He quickly stood up, a part of him wanting nothing more to get off the shuttle while the other part almost wanted to ask for another ride.

He did his best to keep his composure. Despite it being his first time in any kind of flying machine, not to mention SPACE, he didn't want to come off to an experienced captain as someone who lost their cool.]

Thanks for the ride.

It's no problem! Though we can probably wrap this up in a tag or two, y?

[winscenario]

[ Jim could recognize anxiety when he saw it, even if Roy was doing an impressive job of keeping himself calm and collected. He gave him at least a modicum of privacy and control by not acknowledging the difficulties he was experiencing too, and once Roy got up from his seat, he did the same, tipping his head with a nod. ]

My pleasure. And if you ever feel up for it again, you know where to find me.

[ 'If', of course, because right now it wouldn't surprise him if Roy never wanted to go that high up again. It was a pretty intense ride. ]