Echoes of Another Past
Spock Prime keeps tabs on the counterparts of his old comrades and reflects on universal constants.
Time line: After the Enterprise defeats the Narada, but before the end of the film.
Disclaimers: The Star Trek universe and its characters belong to various corporate entities, none of whom are me. No copyright or trademark infringement is intended, and no money was made.
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The elder Spock entered the suite assigned to him by the Vulcan embassy and settled down at his desk. He noticed the light blinking on his com console. He had programmed it to search out any news about the Enterprise or her crew (with suitable filters to keep from being inundated with the terabytes of information about the ship that saved Earth, if not the entire Federation). He was particularly interested in the doings of the senior crew of the ship, the counterparts of his old comrades. Perhaps it was sentimental and illogical. But at his age, surely, he was allowed a few eccentricities? He ordered the computer to start playing the material.
The first few packets were what he expected; gossip from Star Fleet on Kirk (the betting was 5-1 for a court martial vs. 3-1 for a promotion), and engineering chatter from the technical sites on a rumored breakthrough in beaming technology,
The last message was a clip from the news services. He recognized the Star Fleet medical building. A group of reporters, vidcams at the ready, were milling about the main entrance. Suddenly, there was an outcry, and the reporters ran around to the south side of the building. There were several people in Star Fleet blue in the alley, looking like trapped animals as the reporters converged on them. Spock noticed one in particular, as did the waiting reporters.
"Doctor McCoy, Doctor McCoy!" they hollered.
Their quarry turned and glared at them, weariness evident in his expression. The doctor leaned over to his colleagues. There was a brief, whispered conference, which ended with McCoy making an emphatic gesture with one hand. The group broke up, with McCoy heading towards the reporters whiles the others walked away. As McCoy had no doubt planned, the reporters ignored the others and gathered around him.
"Someone else will be giving the official report. If you'll excuse us, we've been working for the last two days," he said. Spock was quite certain that the good doctor was not, for once, dealing in Human hyperbole but telling the exact truth. The last time he had seen his McCoy so exhausted was during the Tholian incident.
The reporters, of course, ignored his request. They yelled questions, both serious and absurd. The idiot who asked McCoy if he was getting back together with his ex-wife earned a particularly menacing glare. McCoy finally had enough.
"Ladies, gentlemen, I already told you there will be an official announcement from Starfleet Medical. If you want information about military matters, go bother the Admiralty. Now if you'll excuse me," he said as started to push his way through the throng.
"Doctor!" yelled one of the reporters at McCoy's retreating back. Spock recognized the man's insignia. He belonged to a news service of ill repute, one that was rumored to be sympathetic to the aims of the old Terra Prime organization. "Do you think the Federation should take military advantage of the destruction of the Klingon fleet?"
Spock recognized that body language. Yes, McCoy was turning around and stalking towards the reporter. Spock found himself leaning forward slightly in anticipation. It had been too many years since he had heard a full-out McCoy rant. This should prove to be fascinating. He would not be the focus of said rant - icing on the cake, as Humans would say.
"You don't want me, sir," he said with an overly-polite, Southern-inflected tone of voice that Spock knew was the proverbial calm before the storm. "If you want, I can refer you to a top neurologist."
"A neurologist, Doctor?" said the reporter.
"Yes. It is very clear to me that you are in desperate need of a new brain, as the one you have now is pretty damn useless." The polite voice was gone, replaced by a controlled roar.
"Doctor, some were saying that this would be a good time to take care of the Klingon menace," started the reporter. McCoy interrupted him.
"And I suppose you think this is a good idea? And I suppose you think the Romulans and anybody else out there are going to sit politely on the side lines and sip iced tea while we tear ourselves to shreds?" McCoy's voice was getting louder with each sentence. The subject of his wrath was now backed up against his collegues, who, if Spock read his Humans correctly, were enjoying the scene greatly.
"Is that what you really want for us? A never ending war, dragging on year after bloody year, massacre after massacre?" continued McCoy. "Good God, man, do you stop to think for one minute? Do you think at all?" McCoy made a disgusted gesture. "Get the hell out of my way," he snarled as he pushed past the reporters.
Spock leaned back in his chair, oddly satisfied. "The more things change..." he thought.
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This was inspired by the argument between Kirk and McCoy in the TOS episode "A Private Little War." So-so episode, but a great scene. And before you argue that Spock was in a coma in sickbay during that scene, remember that whole bit with the katra?
I know - I promised a meeting between Spock Prime and McCoy 2.0. Still working on that one (working title - "Receptions and Revelations") Big blocks are done, but I'm having trouble making it all hang together. One foot after the other...
Update: 1st chapter of "Reception and Revelations" now posted! Big parts of chapter 2 are written.