Star Trek: The Original Series - 071 - Shell Game by Melissa Crandall

Author:Melissa Crandall [Crandall, Melissa]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Fiction, General, Science Fiction, Media Tie-In, Space Opera, Science Fiction; American, Spock (Fictitious Character), Kirk; James T. (Fictitious Character), McCoy; Leonard (Fictitious Character)
ISBN: 9780671795726
Publisher: Star Trek
Published: 1993-01-02T08:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twelve

HEKOV MOVED ALONG the corridor as smoothly and silently as if he glided on ice. Leno followed two paces behind him, a watchful attendant, and he felt extremely secure with her presence at his back. Though a little slower in hand-to-hand combat than he would have liked, the ensign made up for it by being a crack shot with a phaser. If someone (or something?) came at them from behind, she would drop them in their tracks, Chekov had no doubt of that.

He was coming to hate this mission, and was more unhappy than he could presently let on by the recent turn of events. No commander enjoyed losing any of the men or women serving under them and Chekov, like Kirk, was particularly prone to the feelings of helpless rage and frustration that the death of one of his crew invariably produced. While Chekov was confident that every member of his security staff knew the dangers inherent in the job when they chose to sign on as security guards, that didn't make their loss any easier to bear. Notifying families of the death of a loved one was one of the worst aspects of his job.

And, dammit, he had liked Dan Markson! True, the kid was pretty green around the edges, but he was a new graduate, after all. Markson, and Hallie too, had come aboard the Enterprise only a short time earlier, bright and shiny from their Starfleet Academy graduation ceremony and eager to do their best, proud to have been assigned to the foremost ship in the Federation fleet. Gregarious Suzanna had settled in a little more readily than Dan, making friends right away and carving out a niche for herself in the squadron of security guards. Dan had been more reticent but just as eager to please. In him, Chekov had seen something reminiscent of himself back in those long-ago but clearly remembered days when he first stepped aboard the Enterprise as an impassioned new crew member, ready to conquer the universe singlehandedly.

He remembered how excited and enthusiastic he'd been … and how scared. Nervous and overly zealous to make a good impression, particularly with Captain Kirk, he'd done a better job of annoying people and making a nuisance of himself. Then one day during his off time, while he sat in the botanical gardens brooding and miserable and questioning everything he had ever thought he knew as the truth, Captain Kirk had just "happened" to stroll by and ask him along on a walk.

Chekov had long since forgotten how many repetitive circuits of the gardens they made that day, but he'd never forgotten a word of what Kirk had told him. The captain made the effort to take the time to encourage the young ensign to talk about himself, his home, his aspirations and dreams … and, finally, his fears. James Kirk had imparted to Chekov a vastly important kernel of wisdom: No one is completely unafraid. No one is untouched by personal fears. And that means none of us is truly alone.

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