What. The. Hell.

What in the world is Pike doing to Scott?! I realize where this is in the story but holy hell...what a stark contrast to the behavior in Shards. And how has Pike not gotten a dagger in the throat from Scott for all this? What is he doing that would do this kind of damage to him and still have him not go after the guy?

Very interesting seeing young Jimmy and his father. I had no doubt George Kirk was the kind of man who could leave work at work and be somewhat decent to his own family, but I forgot for a moment reading the flashback that we were in the Mirror Universe. Again, something I love about your MU and most of the MUs here; not everyone in the MU is evil and has a goatee. They're people with different things motivating them, with the usual chief among them being power. Otherwise, they are still human beings. So that was cool to read.

And your pre-insanity Mirror Kirk, like I mentioned in Morning (which I realize I read out of order...oops) comes across very similar to his prime counterpart. He's motivated by a drive for power, sure, but he still seems to have some shred of decency in him. Even if he's only seeing the waste of Scott because of the man's usefulness in his own plots, and not as another human being, he's showing Scott a small amount of compassion and loyalty in return. And he doesn't even question what it is that has been keeping Scott alive; he doesn't care what the man's motivations are, whether they fall in line with Kirk's or not. He seems to care that, whatever it is Scott is trying to achieve, won't happen if Pike isn't removed soon.

In any case...wow. This Kirk almost seems like he could be a likable guy, until I remember where we are. Even so...I like this characterization of him. It would have been too easy to just make him the same as he was in "Mirror, Mirror," instead of showing a slow progression towards that man, a progression you showed in Pike before him and then even Spock afterwards. Cool stuff.

Author's Response: I love your questions. Here's why Pike doesn't get a knife in the throat: Scott's trapped. Not by literal, physical constraint -- he can bodily attack. But because if he does, he breaks years and years worth of a pattern of behavior. Scott always follows orders. Always. Without hesitation, without protest. He established himself as unimpeachable because he was a former rebel, his records state this, and the only way to earn trust after that is by being consistent and showing his loyalty over and over and over. He can kill in self-defense, and does, but only when directly attacked. But this isn't quite direct. And if he killed Pike, he would have broken that pattern, and been scrutinized.

Thus, he's trapped. If he gives in and kills Pike, he likely ruins all his work. But he won't live through much more of this. I really like Jim Kirk in this universe. Because he does feel for Scott. And he does save Scott's life. It's the only time in the entire MU where Scott chooses to ally with someone, with Jim Kirk. To get out of the trap he's in, to survive Pike's abuse, to live long enough to complete his objective. Kirk is a likeable guy, until he loses it. Thank you so much.