Star Trek_ Generations - J M. Dillard [5]
He sailed down rapidly and landed unceremoniously flat on his back several meters away in the wheat. Chekov and Scott hurried over to him.
Kirk sat up and pulled off his helmet, revealing the broad grin of a delighted child. Right on target! I jump out over the Arabian Peninsula … and I end up here, right on the dime. He got to his feet, brushing away his two friends attempts at assistance, cheerfully oblivious to the wisps of smoke still emanating from his charred, scorched suit.
Actually, Captain, Chekov offered, your precise target area was thirty-five metershe gestured to the westthat way.
Kirks lip quirked wryly, in the same manner Chekov had seen so many times on the bridge, when Spock had offered concise but unwanted details; perhaps, Chekov thought, he had offered the information precisely because Spock could not be there with them. Thanks for pointing that out, the captain said. He began pulling off his suit, but drew up and winced suddenly in obvious pain.
Scott was shaking his head with fresh disapproval. Ive warned ye about that back of yours. You should have a doctor take a look at it.
Kirk made a sound of skepticism and started to remove his harness. Tomorrow, he told Chekov excitedly, knowing that the younger man shared his enthusiasm for daredevil feats to a much greater extent than did his former engineer, I want to make a tri-elliptical jump. Thats where you jump out over northern China, and make three complete orbits before you start reentry …
Chekov was sincerely interested in hearing about tri-elliptical jumpsand perhaps even trying one himselfbut Kirk had apparently suffered a memory lapse. The very notion that the captain might have become forgetful embarrassed Chekov; gently, he said, Captain. Perhaps you have forgotten that tomorrow is the christening ceremony …
Kirk clearly had not. A flash of irritation crossed his features, then faded to stubborn resolve as he said curtly, Im not going. He paused, then fumbled at the straps on his body harness. Scotty, help me with this chute.
Scott stepped forward and reached for the straps, his expression again stern and reproachful. What do ye mean, youre not going? We promised.
When I retired, I swore Id never set foot on a starship again, and I meant it.
Captain … Chekov chided mildly, meaning: We know you dont really mean it, sir. He was not quite sure what prompted Kirks sudden outburst of mulishness, except possibly the recent disappointing news that Spock and McCoy would not be joining them for the christening ceremony. Nor would Uhura, who was vacationing in a far-off region of the galaxy before returning to teach at the Academy, or Sulu, who was off commanding the Excelsior.
I dont want to hear any more about it, Kirk told them both. Im not going and thats final.
Yes, sir, Chekov almost said, but he and Scott shared a knowing glance; he had heard the uncertainty in the captains tone, and would not be at all surprised if Kirk had another change of heart before morning.
In the instant before the turbolift doors slid open, Jim Kirk drew a deep breath and steeled himself. A year before, in his final moments as captain on the bridge of his ship, he had sworn that he would never set foot on another starship again … for the simple, painful reason that he would never again be in the command chair. Yet despite his protestations to Scott and Chekov the day before, he had yielded to duty, responsibilityand no small amount of curiosityand accompanied his friends to the christening of the Enterprise-B.
But from the moment he arrived on spacedock, he was unable to shake the feeling that it had been a mistake to come, that something indescribable was wrong. Perhaps it was just the weight of the past and his current pointless existence settling over him, or perhaps the simple disappointment that the friends