Star Trek: The Original Series - 087 - The Captain's Daughter by Peter David

Author:Peter David [David, Peter]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Fiction, General, Science Fiction, Media Tie-In, Space Opera
ISBN: 9780671520472
Publisher: Star Trek
Published: 1995-01-02T08:00:00+00:00

SECTION FOUR

PARENTHOOD

Chapter Fifteen

IT HELPED TO HAVE friends in the office of the Surgeon General in Starfleet, and those Leonard McCoy had in abundance. So when the rather curious "situation" arose, it was McCoy who was summoned in for a consult out of deference to his long-standing relationship with the … as it was delicately put … "person in question."

He wished that Jim were around to handle this, but he was off doing that damned fool diving of his. Kirk had regaled him with tales of deep-sea explorations, wearing antiquated gear and a bathing suit rather than proper insulated suits with their built-in fail-safe oxygen supplies. "That's not really undersea diving," he'd sniffed. "You don't feel like you're part of the sea."

"You'll become a permanent part of the sea if you're not careful," McCoy had grumbled at him. But he'd decided not to push it too much; the problem with Kirk was that he'd probably come up with something even more dangerous to do. That's the kind of guy he was: totally uncaring about personal safety. Under the impression that trivialities such as mortality applied to lesser beings.

Hopefully that would change as soon as Kirk started the faculty assignment at Starfleet Academy. Even that, though, made McCoy apprehensive. There was only one place where Kirk would truly be happy, and that was in the command chair of a starship. But they'd been giving him the full treatment, Starfleet had. Emphasized all the experience he had to share. Convinced him that by teaching at the Academy, he could be improving Starfleet at its core.

And he'd bought it. Blast him, he'd bought it. McCoy knew, in his heart of hearts, that it was going to cost Kirk in the long run. His body might have been on Earth, but his soul was in the stars. He would keep running faster and faster, looking for something that he didn't even know he was missing. And when he finally realized that whatever it was he was searching for was still gone—light-years away and forever beyond his reach—he would start to wither. Wither and die. McCoy could see it clear as anything, but Kirk—home and flush with triumph from his second five-year mission—had been blinded to it. Blinded by the success and accolades. And maybe, God help him, by the legend that was building around him. McCoy had no doubt that, sooner or later, Kirk would realize the hideous mistake. Realize what he'd gotten himself into because he'd believed his own press.

"Damn his ego," he muttered.

"Damn whose ego, Doc?"

McCoy looked up and saw Mr. Sulu standing there, his arms folded across his chest.

"No one's," replied McCoy.

Sulu smiled. "Oh, come on now, Doc. You ask me to come meet you here at the Surgeon General's building … you're all mysterious about it … and now you won't even tell me what's on your mind?"

"Oh, we'll … discuss it," said McCoy. "Uhm … sit down, Sulu. How are things going with you?"

Sulu looked at McCoy appraisingly. It was clear he knew something was on the doctor's mind.

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