Myriad Universes 02_ Echoes and Refractions - Keith R. A. DeCandido [11]
Kirk held up his hand in acquiescence. “You’re right…as usual.”
Thelin had always admired McCoy’s pragmatic ability to rein in Kirk’s headstrong nature-something Thelin himself, as a highly emotional first officer, had never quite been able to do. It seemed as though the doctor’s medical instincts gave him insight into the psychological, as well as the physical, needs of the command crew.
“We’ve got four more crewmen with similar injuries,” McCoy went on. “If you want to see…” He cut himself short and tilted his head to look over the shoulders of Kirk and Thelin, nodding as the sound of footsteps approached from behind them.
“Thanks, Doctor,” David was heard to say. “Like you asked, I engaged the security locks when I left the morgue, and I…” He stood looking over his father’s shoulder at the unconscious patient. Thelin turned toward David, only to see the young man’s face turn as white as the Andorian’s own hair. “Oh no…” David moaned, then turned and walked swiftly back out of the room.
“Excuse me, gentlemen,” Kirk said, then hurried out the door after his son.
He found David back in the main corridor outside sickbay, leaning against the wall and breathing deeply, as if trying not to become violently ill. Kirk approached him slowly, not sure if he would be emotionally ready to discuss what he had just witnessed. “David? Are you all right?”
“No, apparently not,” he softly replied, looking down at the deck. “It seems that I’m some sort of mad scientist bent upon creating Frankenstein’s monster.”
“David,” Kirk said in a firm, fatherly voice as he placed his hand on his son’s shoulder. “You didn’t do this. What you saw in there was the work of a gang of madmen-outlaws-who corrupted your invention into something it was never meant to be.”
David was trembling. “I should have known better. I should have been responsible enough to realize that the galaxy is full of evil psychopaths like that Khan…” He spat the name out angrily.
“David, we can’t…paralyze ourselves out of fear of what others might do. We can’t withhold our gifts from the universe because we don’t trust that they’ll be used wisely. We just need to have faith that the good out there will outweigh the bad. That’s why we’re out here, exploring, seeking new cultures, sharing our knowledge…because we believe that ultimately it can only make us stronger.”
David raised his head high enough for his eyes to see out from beneath his knotted brow, and he met his father’s gaze, and smiled gently. “Good words,” he said. “You know, I was wrong about you…and I’m sorry.”
“Well, we all need to forgive,” Kirk said, “as much as it may wound our pride. If we were driven only by our anger and spite, we’d all end up like Khan.”
David was now steady on his feet, and together they began walking back down the corridor toward the turbolift.
“I know you’re angry,” Kirk continued. “Angry about the deaths of your friends, the theft of your work, and…angry that I wasn’t there to be your father when I should have been.” They stopped, and Kirk turned to face David, gripping both of his arms. “But don’t let that anger define who you are. You’re so much more than that, David…and I’m proud of you.”
“I know,” David replied with complete honesty. “And I’m very proud to be your son.”
The journey back to Earth aboard the Yorktown was rather uneventful for David Marcus and his mother, and the duration, though brief, provided David ample opportunity to reflect upon the sudden appearance of his father in his life.
Surprising to him, James Kirk was not at all what he had expected. Of course, David had never asked his mother much concerning the admiral, but reputation alone had led David to anticipate a brash, swaggering arrogance about the man…when in fact, Kirk’s actions during the recent crisis reflected an intelligent, thoughtful leader who obviously cared deeply about those who served under him. The brief moment they had shared outside the