Fic: Observations, Ch 66
No one will inform me of the events that transpired after I was exposed to the debilitating nerve agent. Even Nyota.
“Can we not talk about it, Spock? It was hellish. I just got done talking about it with M’Benga for my psychological evaluations. Please don’t make me repeat it.”
“If it is your wish.”
She nodded. “Thanks.” There was a pause. “I have this new piece we could try, it’s called ‘Summertime.’ And old pre-Warp E song. Here’s the parts for the vocals, and I thought maybe you could make an arrangement for accompaniment.”
I perused the music, quickly synthesizing its various harmonies and melodies. “I have a sketch of an accompaniment. Would you like to try right now?”
Nyota’s eyes glistened. “Yes. Yes I’d like that very much.”
She reached towards me. I met her halfway and embraced her as she began to cry.
After an interval, she laughed shakily and blew her nose.
I looked at her.
“I’m okay. Just kind of,” she blew her nose. “Let me clean up? And we’ll sing. It’s a beautiful song.”
--
“Lt. Chekov, Lt. Sulu. If I may speak with you.”
“Um, sure, commander.”
“Would you kindly inform me of the events that occurred while I was unconscious on planet Gothos? The captain has not made a formal note of it, nor has any other crewman who was on the planet.”
Lt. Sulu straightened until he was at attention. Lt. Chekov shifted on his feet.
“We cannot, sir. With all due respect,” Lt. Chekov said.
“What is the justification for this veil of secrecy?”
“It’s not a secret, Commander Spock. Just-we all agreed not to talk about it, is all.”
“If is appallingly offensive to my sensibilities, I would still like to know-“
“It’s not that, sir.”
“Then what is ‘it,’ lieutenants?”
They simply looked at each other and then looked back at me.
I moved to leave. As I passed, Lt. Chekov very quietly whispered “Ya ob odnom mol’yu, taskuya: O bud’ so mnoi-nye uhodi.”
--
When I entered the Sickbay, the doctor was sitting at his terminal with his back turned to me. He was listening to a puzzling song, whose lyrics I did not understand.
Amarillo By Mornin', up from San Antone
Everything that I got is just what I've got on.
When that sun is high in that Texas sky,
I'll be buckin' at the county fair.
Amarillo By Mornin', Amarillo I'll be there.
They took my saddle in Houston, broke my leg in Santa Fe.
Lost my wife and a girlfriend, somewhere along the way.
I'll be lookin' for eight when they pull that gate
And I hope that judge ain't blind.
Amarillo By Mornin', Amarillo's on my mind.
Amarillo By Mornin', up from San Antone
Everything that I got is just what I've got on.
I ain't got a dime, but what I got is mine.
I ain't rich, but Lord I'm free.
Amarillo By Mornin', Amarillo's where I'll be.
“I know you’re there, Spock. Why don’t you come on in and have a seat.”
“If I am interrupting-“
“Nope. Is anything wrong? Feeling okay? Everything works fine?”
“Affirmative, doctor. However, there is-“
“I know what you want to know.” He poured himself a glass of brandy. “You know what that song is about?”
I shook my head.
“It’s about a cowboy ridin’ the rodeo circuit. Damn well loses everything doin’ it too-it’s a vicious sport. But he just keeps ridin’ rodeo. Amarillo By Mornin’s the bull.”
“Leonard, what relevance does an old Terran cowboy song have to do with my predicament on the planet Gothos? This barrier of silence that I find consistently is illogical.”
“Nope, not illogical. I’m not going ta tell ya either, it’s not my place to tell. But you’ll see soon enough. Make use of all those keen observations of yours.
“I will tell you this. It was ugly, what that atmosphere did to your body. Raised pure hell on your nervous system. Jim kind of snapped-I don’t blame him, what with the whole debacle with that insane hunter and almost losin’ us both. He’s human, not like those indifferent energy things we met. The crew-all of us-we pulled through for him and we’re pickin’ up the pieces. But there’s a limit to that man.”
The doctor drained his glass. He paused before he poured himself another.
“Ya know, I don’t think Jim got the answer he wanted when he asked those blobs his question. Not completely.
“That cowboy-a man can’t ride rodeo forever. He’s free, but someday he’s gonna need a reason to keep going. I keep wonderin’ if he ever found it.”
--
I entered the captain’s quarters. He was staring at his computer screen blankly.
“Captain? You requested my presence?”
Jim looked up.
“Yeah. You said you finished the briefs for our next mission. Is there anything special I need to know about? I looked over some of the files Starfleet sent me, but nothing looks completely out of the ordinary.”
“I have found nothing anomalous as well.”
“Okay. Good.” He turned his attention back to the computer, the glow of the screen accenting the curves and angles of his face. “I was just reading some stuff on the nets. Did you know that Vulcan II’s scheduled to build another city? It says here that the core community has stabilized, and now they’re ready to expand.”
“My father informed me of this development recently on subspace radio.”
Jim smiled to himself. “It’s great. I’m really happy for you guys.”
“The event is,” I paused. “Encouraging. That we may rebuild and continue after such loss.”
I considered my projected timetable for the upcoming three shifts and decided that it could be rearranged.
“Jim, would you be interested in a game of chess?”
He looked at his stack of datapads.
“I will assist you in those duties if necessary.” My schedule would require generous rearrangement.
“Yeah, I’m up for a game,” he nodded. “The usual? Me white, you black?”
“Affirmative.”
In the middle of the game, Jim looked up from the chess board and suddenly declared, “Space is a miracle.”
A random statement with absolutely no relevance to the game. I raised my eyebrow to convey that thought. It had its intended effect. Jim’s face lit up with a wide smile and he began laughing. And for that moment, I simply basked in the glow of his happiness.
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