Star Trek: Before Destruction - Chapter 4
*** FOUR ***
Enterprise shone like a pearl against a black velvet sky. She remained stationary as the smaller ship, dart-like in appearance, approached. Static electricity discharged with various degrees of intensity, arcing, almost dancing about them, in bright blue bolts. They were enfolded by the dark and dense cloud of particles that had once been Elba II.
On the bridge of the Enterprise, damage control was completing repairs to the ship's injuries, sustained while reaching the Petroski solar system.
"Bridge to Engineering. Mr. Scott, repairs are about done up here. How are things coming on your end?" spoke Jim Kirk to his chief engineer.
"We have green across the board, Capt'n. Though there is still an energy flux in me port nacelle. I cann'a seem to fine tune it out, and it's gonna worra me till I do," said the Scottsman.
"Well done, Mr. Scott. Keep me informed about that flux. If it gets worse, let me know," Kirk said.
"Aye Sir, Scott out." The channel closed.
"Mr. Spock, I believe it's time to go over to the Javelin for debriefing," the Captain said as he left his chair, "Mr. Sulu, you have the Con."
Spock followed Jim to the turbo-lift. Sulu rose from his post and took the center seat as the lift's doors 'swooshed' closed.
"Hanger deck," Jim instructed the lift. He rubbed his palms against his trousers, then folded his arms across his chest. "Mr. Spock," he began, "have you finished the detailed report on the landing expedition to Holberg?"
"Yes, Captain, it is on file and ready to be transmitted to Starfleet Command."
"I'd like to look at it before you have it sent. I want to compare it to my own log," said Jim. "Not that I mistrust your accuracy Spock, I just want to be sure I didn't leave anything important out," he continued, hoping his First Officer would not detect his uneasiness about the subject. He wanted to compare the two logs because his memory seemed to have lapsed and he did not wish it known to his friend.
Embarrassment crept up inside him as he thought to himself of the way he was trying to conceal this fact from Spock, the very one whom he should confide in. His cheeks shone the barest hint of red and he could feel the flush of them.
So concerned with himself, Jim did not even notice the slightly greener cheeks of Spock.
Spock was hardly pleased to hear Jim's request. It was not difficult to deduce that Kirk had discovered some missing time concerning Flint and the Holberg expedition, more to the truth, concerning Reena.
It is considered not only immoral and illogical but quite dangerous for a Vulcan to interfere uninvitedly into another's thoughts. Spock's decision to alter his Captain's memory of the death of his love was not derived from logic, but one of "brotherly affection". An emotion alien to him before he knew the man James T. Kirk, but alien no longer.
To all who did not know Spock well, he appeared to be typically, totally, Vulcan. A being devoted entirely to logic, suppressing or uprooting any inborn emotion, never discerning the turmoil inside him of being only half Vulcan. His human and Vulcan sides constantly strove with each other for supremacy in his heart.
Unlike most humans and Vulcans, Jim Kirk had accepted him as is, and demonstrated the strength that could be found in the very emotions he struggled to suppress. There is a balance between the two opposing cultures that Spock was only recently becoming aware of. Once thought mutually exclusive, he now could see the harmony of the two working in him. This did not, however, make it any easier for him to arrive at an explanation as to why James had no memory of Reena Kapec. He would not lie to Jim. Perhaps he could 'exaggerate'?
The lift doors opened to the face of Dr. Leonard McCoy holding two flat squares, one orange, one blue.
"Bones, I was just wondering if you had the medical tapes for us," said Jim.
"I thought I would deliver them personally, Jim. Governor Cory's staff and patient's files are all here though I'm not sure how much help they will be. They are only as current as the last time we were here." The doctor placed the squares in his Captain's hands.
"We were ordered to gather all information pertaining to the disaster, regardless of how insignificant."
"I know, I saw all of the equipment and space debris you are taking over to the Intelligence boys. Not much room for the two of you, is there?" Bones escorted the two down the corridor.
"If we had another shuttle craft available, we would have distributed the material between the two. As it is, it will still be a couple of hours before our second recon team returns, and no ship will be able to use transporters for weeks in this area with all the electromagnetic energy around."
"'Months' is what Scotty said," added Bones.
"Two point seven three months, to be more accurate," offered Spock, more to irritate the doctor than to assist. Dr. McCoy was, to Spock, the most emotionally fascinating person to observe. It seemed, paradoxically, that the good doctor was most happy when most irritated. As a friend, Spock felt obligated to keep Bones 'happy'. "That estimate is of course barring,"
"Can't you even say a complete sentence without a statistical exposition?" griped the doctor.
Spock raised an eyebrow. "I find a curious satisfaction, if I understand the usage, in being as accurate as possible," he said. "Especially around you," he added. "Perhaps I am overcompensating for your consistant and general inaccuracy."
"I can't take you two anywhere, can I?" Jim cut in.
The corridor ended with the shuttle bay doors, which opened as Jim and company reached them. He led them into the airlock. After the first pair of doors closed behind them, the second, leading into the hanger, opened. A lone shuttlecraft sat on the turntable with the name 'Columbus NCC-1701/3', emblazoned on the side. The small interplanetary craft hummed softly as the prep- technician ran her through pre-warm and pre-flight procedures.
Spock and McCoy followed the Captain as he walked the 20 meters to the central rotational platform, then to the open doors of the Columbus. Spock passed his Captain and entered the craft as Jim stopped, realizing McCoy was still tagging along, and turned to him.
"I hope you aren't waiting around for a goodbye kiss, Doctor," the Captain stated, in good humor.
"Very funny! I was just making sure you've got everything needed from medical, and what do I get for it?" came the Doctor. "I wonder if jokes like that are what made Vulcans turn into binary brains."
"Calm yourself, Doctor. What's put you on edge this time?"
"Nothing's put me on edge. I just thought you might have been able to work me into your schedule without me having to order you down to sickbay for a complete physical."
"I'm sorry, Bones, is there something you need to discuss that I don't know about?"
"I'm sure you are aware of it," he said, "Painfully aware."
Jim wrinkled his brow. 'What the heck are you talking about Bones?', he thought to himself. Then an echo from his memory spoke 'bruised ribs'. Jim then connected that with "Painfully aware" and naturally assumed they were finally on the same wavelength.
He was wrong.
"Oh, that! Well, when I get back I'll stop in and you can tell me how I'm doing," Jim said, tugging at his tunic which covered the flexi-truss. "It doesn't seem to be important, though. I hardly feel bruised at all."
"My God, Jim, I thought you were crushed." Bones, on the other hand, was referring to Jim's heart, at the loss of the android / lifeform / love: Reena Kapec.
"Crushed?" Jim could not remember being crushed. He could remembered nothing of how the injury came into being. "Perhaps it looked that way, but really, I'm fine," he said honestly. "I almost don't even feel it anymore."
Spock, with his amazing Vulcan sense of hearing, naturally was in earshot of the entire conversation. His muscles were unconsciously tensed. His eyes were looking straight ahead. He was listening intently, waiting for McCoy to let the 'feline' out of the proverbial 'satchel'. Then he focused his eyes on the tip of his nose. It was the first time he could recall ever seeing nervous sweat on a Vulcan. "Fascinating," he whispered to no one.
"Tell that to the Fleet Cadets, Jim, not me. I know what you've been through. I know it must hurt."
This was really starting to confuse the Captain. The doctor never made this much fuss, unless it was more serious than he thought. 'What is it? A ruptured spleen? Punctured kidney? No, Bones would never have let me back on the bridge if there was that much damage.'
Jim looked the doctor directly in the eyes. "Ok, Bones, I think it's time I told you the truth." He waited for a moment to muster his courage. It is not an easy thing for any Captain to admit to the ship's doctor that there is a possibility of mental failure. "Bones, I don't know 'how' I did it. OK?" He put his hand to his side indicating his ribs. "I know it aches, but I can't for the life of me think of how it could've happened. I,"
"Jim, matters of the 'heart' are always like that," Bones said, cutting in, "We never know how these things happen. You just have to take it easy. Now isn't the time to be under stress, so don't overdo it, alright? Doctor's orders!"
'That's it!' Jim thought. 'It's not my ribs, it's my heart! Cardiac arrest could account for my memory loss, and if CPR was administered, it would leave my ribs bruised.'
Kirk now realized, at least he believed he understood, why the doctor was concerned, and became very concerned himself. He had no knowledge that his ribs became bruised while in hand to hand combat with Reena's creator / lover, Flint. Spock had seen to it that he did not remember, for the pain of her death was more than he thought Jim could bear.
Jim gulped. "I didn't know it was that bad. All I remember is,"
"Jim," Bones cut him off again. "It's better you try to forget. Let it heal, before you go out and it happens again."
"Again!?! Bones, you really think it could happen again!?!"
"If I know you, James T. Kirk, the next planet you set foot on, you'll meet some young filly or 'miraculously' out from a tree will pop a former sweetheart and, BLAMO!"
Jim gulped again. 'BLAMO!?!' His eyes widened a bit.
Spock could bear the conversation no longer. As he rose, he noticed the imprints his fingers had left on the navigational console where he had been sitting. "Remarkable," he stated, and calculated the amount of pressure in kilograms PSI that it would take to leave such impressions in the hyper-alloy aluminum 1 millimeter thick, as he stepped through the shuttle door. "Fascinating," again to himself. "Captain, the Javelin is awaiting us. Shall I signal them regarding a temporary delay?"
"No, Spock, I'm ready." He looked at the doctor, a bit frightened by the 'BLAMO' comment. "Providing the Doctor thinks I'll survive."
"You've got my approval." Bones smiled but noticed Jim's hesitation to take him at his word. "Seriously, Jim, clean bill of health," McCoy said, genuinely glad to have had the chat with Jim and been able to clear the air of this unfortunate incident.
"Thanks, Bones. See you soon." the Captain said, feeling slightly better himself, after McCoy's last comment and finally satisfied that his mind was not unduly slipping. He stepped into the shuttle and the doors closed behind him.
