Chapter Text
"Jim!"
He pauses in the doorway out of his engineering class and turns at the voice "Hey Gaila" he nods, stepping into the hallway so he's not blocking other peoples way out.
"Jim" she frowns moving to standing to him with her arms crossed and one eyebrow raised, "Question: a few days ago you told me you heard rumours that Jamie River was starting a charity. I looked into it and I can't find anything on the net about this VRG, so where are you getting this idea from?"
Fuck.
Jim looks around seeing all the people listening, he grabs her arm and pulls her into an empty classroom, closing the door behind them "I didn't hear a rumour" he admits first. Fuck it, he can't tell her, there's no way, but maybe he doesn't need to. Spock was okay with not knowing everything...
He pulls out his PADD, bringing up the same editing file he showed the Professor and hands it to her without looking.
"Mother of the Moon and Suns" she whisperers after minutes of tense silence "You wrote-"
"Yes" he cuts in still not looking at her, "I am starting VRG, I told you cause I was trying to get your input on what it should do and I really really don't want to talk about me and how I can write this book."
"Hey" she lays a kind hand on his shoulder, moving so he can see her understanding smile. "I get it. I don't like talking about my stuff either."
He lets out a breath.
"But" determination fills her understanding eyes, "If you think I'm not helping you with VRG now that I know you're nuts."
He smiles at her "I know."
"Damn right you do" she smirks, her eyes bright and excited "We should bring the others in too, we both know they'd want to help."
"No way"Jim steps back "If Bones finds out I wrote the book he will press me on...past stuff 'for my own good' and I'm am not doing that." Bones will press he knows he will, he'll mean well by it but Jim isn't ready to talk about that shit.
"Okay" she agrees thoughtfully, "So I'll tell them I'm involved. Uhura knows I've been working on a thank you letter to Jamie River" she pauses, smirking at him "So I'll say River replied telling me their plans with VRG and I volunteered."
"Alright" he nods knowing for he can't talk her out of it "I could use Bones help" he thinks out loud "I don't have a clue what the med floor needs..."
"Med floor? You got a place already?"
Jim nods, "Yep and we're interviewing for someone to run it this afternoon."
"We?" her eyebrow goes up "Who's we?"
He smirks "You know that Vulcan Professor, Spock?"
She smirks back "The hot language teacher? Of course Uhura loves his class. You got him onboard?"
"Yeah" he agrees with a small smile, "He's been a real help."
Gaila's smirk turns teasing "Oh I'm sure he has, the view alone must make the research so much better."
His ears go red "Gai!"
She grins, handing his PADD back "Send me your plans so far, I'll look over it and see if there's anything else I'd want to add" she moves back towards the door, "Enjoy your interviews!" she says the word like its dirty with a big grin as she steps out the door.
Jim shakes his head, not looking forward to the teasing he knows will become regular as he looks down to his PADD to turn it off and pauses. "Of course she did" he laughs softly, reading the notice that the files were successfully sent. Gaila sent herself the finished second book and the 23 finished chapters from the third while they were talking.
With a grin he puts the PADD back in his bag and leaves the classroom.
Jim gets to VRG's-as of yesterdays headquarters around 1:30 dressed in black suit pants with a light blue shirt and a suit coat and dark blue tie, frowning down at his clothes.
"Spock, I know you said I had to look 'professional' for the interviews" he grumbles pulling on his collar as he walks into the interview room, "But I feel stupi-" he trails off as his eyes catch Spock who is standing by the large window across the room looking at his PADD. He's wearing another one of those Vulcan robes, but this ones nicer, a dark grey with light grey highlights on the high collar, the sleeves and on the trim around the end, which goes all the way down to his ankles, it also hugs him in all the right places, tight around his muscled arms and his ass, and all together making Jim have to try really really hard to force down a lewd comment.
Spock, thankfully doesn't seem to notice his interest, "As representatives of VRG we are expected to present ourselves professionally" he looks up from the PADD, eyes moving over the human, "But I can assure you that you do not look 'stupid.'"
Jim's cheeks heat up, "Alright, you don't look to bad yourself" he can't help smirking.
Spock looks back to his PADD, "The agreed upon five candidates have all agreed to interviews. The first, Doctor Aston Daniels is scheduled to arrive in 6 minutes and 46 seconds."
"Alright" Jim nods, forcing his mind back on subject, "What about Hertu?"
"She is our last interview and is scheduled to arrive in 2 hours and 24 minutes" he answers promptly, "I concluded that because she is both of our preferred candidate it would be logical to interview last, so that if you decide immediately upon meeting her, which I calculate there is a 87% that you will, you will still be open enough to listen to the other 4 candidates and create unbiased opinions of them."
Jim raises a eyebrow, "You think I'm biased?"
"Yes" he agrees bluntly, "You wish for an Orion to be involved in the decision making for VRG, and though Miss Hertu is highly qualified for the position so are the others. And they should not be dismissed because they are not the species you would prefer for the position."
"We are doing this to help Orions! Orions should have a say!" he protests, crossing his arms and frowning at the Vulcan.
"I agree" he speaks in his usual monotone "However as you informed me earlier your friend Gaila is now aware and will be assisting. We will also have hundreds of high and low level positions available which we can and will try to fill with Orion personnel" his tone softens, "Jim I would also prefer an Orion run VRG but we cannot make the decision on that desire alone. We have to decide based on who is most qualified and best suited for the position."
"Alright" Jim relents knowing he can't win when arguing with a Vulcan. "Lets get on with this" he sighs, trying to force his mind to open a little.