One of these days, space is going to actually kill the good old country doctor. He referred to himself as a country doctor even though he was not because of his passion to save people and keep them from the jaws of death. Leonard H. McCoy was a man of many things but someone who gave up? No. He was not that kind of man. He was the most stubborn cadet in the academy, later the most stubborn doctor on the Enterprise, and one of the stubborn men that ever faced the likes of alien omnipotent like beings.
"I am goin' to treat myself to some good old Georgian air." McCoy said, leaning back into the chair.
"I will request a transfer to another starship and take command." Spock said.
"I am going to become a teacher!" Jim said.
McCoy spat out what he was drinking.
"You?" McCoy asked. "A teacher?"
Jim meekly shrugged.
"I got a lot of things that I could hand down to those newer cadets," Jim said. "I have spent ten years in space."
"That is a logical means to hand down vital information." Spock agreed.
McCoy sighed.
"What starship are you goin' to command, Mr Spock?" McCoy asked.
"A science vessel." Spock said.
"Anyone else we know going with you?" Jim asked.
"Negative." Spock said.
"Come on, we know that you and Uhura are in a relationship." Jim said.
"We have a disagreement on that part." Spock said.
McCoy took a sip of his bourbon from the glass as the two chattered.
"What kind of disagreement?" Jim asked.
McCoy put down the glass on the table.
"One that is none of your concern,Jim." Spock said.
"You know, in two days we are splitting up, I rather know that you are not alone in space with complete strangers." Jim said.
"Illogical, I am never alone." Spock said.
McCoy sighed.
"He means not havin' your friends by your side, green blooded hobgoblin," McCoy said. "And you are goin' to miss me!"
"Much as you would like to think," Spock said. "Your presence would not be missed."
"What about Jim?" McCoy asked. "Are you meanin' to say that Psychic connection mean nothin' to ya?"
Spock had a death glare through the forehead of the doctor.
"Bones." Jim said, taking the man's shoulder.
"What?" McCoy looked over toward Jim. "Can't put it in his face? The very denial that he has feelin's or associates himself to his colleagues?" Jim let go of the man's shoulder. "I feel un-accomplished with Spock not sayin' it loud that we are his friends, and he has never admitted that. Ever. Two five year missions and you never thanked me for takin' you out of what could have been your death. I could have died by intestinal parasite last year and all he could think of was studyin' me! No admissions that I was right or wron' about you. You have stood the wrath of the Jim but can the search for Spock's inner self be over? Nope, not by a long shot. The final frontier may be space but for you, Mr Spock,I believe, is findin' where you belon'."
Spock raised a left eyebrow.
"What makes you think I am searching for myself?" Spock asked.
McCoy sighed.
"Everyone goes through this." McCoy said
"I did not." Spock said
"It's what we call angst," Jim said. "Being worried and concerned about anything for that matter."
"Do you feel angst about leaving the Enterprise, Doctor McCoy?" Spock asked.
"That is different." McCoy said.
"Answer his question, Bones." Jim said.
"I actually look forward to it." McCoy said.
"I feel a bit of angst about moving on." Jim said.
"You are not exactly the golden boy, anymore." McCoy reminded him.
"Or the poster boy for Star Fleet to recruit more young bright cadets." Spock added.
"Ah seesh," Jim said. "Weren't we just . . . back in our twenties?"
"You are thirty-five." Spock said.
"And you are thirty-nine!" Jim said. "You still look twenty-nine."
"Vulcans." McCoy took a sip.
"Vulcans age slower than humans," Spock said. "It is most unfortunate that you are not Vulcan."
"I wouldn't want to be a Vulcan." Jim said
"Doctor, you have a request from Admiral Pike." Nurse Chapel came over holding a padd into the doctor's office.
"Nice legs, Chapel." Jim said.
Nurse Chapel handed the padd to the doctor.
"You have a beard growing there, captain." Chapel sharply said as the man rubbed the side of his cheekbones with his eyes widening.
McCoy's eyes widened and he froze into place.
"What is it, Doctor McCoy?" Spock asked.
Sound was mute.
"Commander McCoy, answer Mr Spock." Jim said.
There was easily shock in his eyes.
"It appears that he is shocked." Spock acknowledged.
Jim turned his head over his shoulder.
"Hey nurse!" Jim said. "What is the news?"
Chapel turned away from the door.
"Doctor McCoy has been offered promotion," Chapel said. "And his own ship."
Jim turned his head away then leaped over to the side of the chair alongside the stunned man.
"Is it the brand new Galaxy Class starship?" Jim asked.
Spock poured himself a glass of water.
"Yorktown." McCoy said
Spock stopped pouring the water looking up with raised eyebrows.
"That is a constitution class," Spock said. "The Yorktown was recently completed approximately four days, three hours, and thirty-two seconds ago. However it should be noted the Yorktown should be referred to as its own class due to the differences in design." Jim swiped the screen. He gasped at the starship. "With the two cup handles to the side of the saucer section that are anti-gravitational for it to levitate above or lower to the ground if it has disengaged from the lower section of the starship."
Jim grinned, looking over in the direction of Spock.
"You were totally gunning for it, weren't you?" Jim asked, looking over in the direction of Spock.
"Negative," Spock said. "I am being assigned to the USS Starward, the Science Galaxy vessel. I have been selected to captain it while Star Fleet continues its improvements in the Starward."
"Sounds like it should be called the Stargazer." Jim said.
"They are reserving the name for a better purpose as I have heard." Spock said.
"Twenty-five years. . . ." McCoy said, sliding his hands down the side of his face. "Oh god help me!"
Jim saw that the screen was now on the mission perimeters.
"Looks like you are going to be on the longest mission, ever," Jim looked up in the direction of Spock. "Looks like the two of you might meet up again while I am on Earth teaching! How exciting is this? Bones is going to be the new 'poster man'!"
McCoy took a drink of his glass.
"I am not goin' to accept it." McCoy finally said.
"What?" Jim asked.
"I am not goin' put there in space with another Vulcan who denies havin' a friendship with a human bein'." McCoy said.
"You probably won't." Jim said.
"You remember just last week how the transporter nearly killed me?" McCoy asked. "I could die before I set foot on that bridge!"
"Ah, angst." Spock said.
"Good catch, Spock!" Jim said.
"This is serious business." McCoy said.
Jim sighed, sitting down into the chair close to his friend.
"Look, Bones," Jim said. "There is a good chance that the Yorktown's transporters won't have the same problems our transporter had."
"In fact, all of Star Fleet's transporters are built to not allow universe jumping due to the travel you had in the mirror universe." Spock said.
"Don't. Remind. Me." McCoy said, with a right eyebrow twitch.
"You could be the best captain that crew could ever know or meet," Jim said. "It would do some good that you actually be in my shoes. Not everything is as I put it out to be." Jim folded his arms. "It is because of Selek that I am actually considering returning out into space in a few years under a different occupation."
"Starship racer." McCoy said.
"That is illogical." Spock said.
Jim was laughing.
"I fail to see the humor in it." Spock said.
Jim wiped a tear off his eyes.
"Jim does not have the looks to be a space racer." McCoy said.
Spock had a stoic expression.
"Humans and their humor." Spock said, prompting another laugh from the captain.
"To think I looked forward to the day you would actually smile willingly," McCoy took another sip. "I will be dead the day you smile in public."
"Smiling is an unnecessarily movement of the mouth muscles." Spock said.
Jim stood up.
"That is it," Jim said. "The day Spock smiles, we are going to throw a party! Bones, Uhura, Scotty,Keenser, Chekov, Sulu,Carol, Pike, and anyone for that matter who is still around is invited at my house."
"Your house is too small for that, Jim." McCoy reminded
"My summer condo then." Jim said.
"The captain has a summer house?" Spock said.
"Doesn't everyone?" Jim asked.
"I do not." Spock said.
"I do." McCoy said.
"So, would you be there, Bones?" Jim asked.
"It depends if he has also admitted on that day he has the most stressful friendship in the galaxy with me shortly after smiling. So no," McCoy said. "Because it won't happen. I won't be there to attend the party. I will be dead by then."
"Lifespans for most humans are one hundred twenty." Spock said.
"That is just extended lifespans with the medical technology we have!" McCoy said. "Bein' on a twenty-five year mission is sure to be riddled with the captain dying, the starship bein' destroyed, and the remainin' crew being held captive by the alien race."
"Doctor McCoy," Spock said. "There are numerous instances where you took command in a situation and got everyone out of the line of danger while the captain and I were being threatened by numerous forces. Despite the reluctance you have to command the Enterprise you have kept the crew sane and on their toes making sure they are alive. You can prevent their deaths with your experience in command and being a doctor."
There was a period of silence.
"Well, I will be damned," McCoy said. "A Vucan convincin' me to take command."
Jim stood up.
"Promise me, Bones, that you will be there." Jim held his hand out as he looked the man in the eye.
McCoy's eyes briefly glanced in the direction of Spock.
"Promises are known to make humans to stay alive." Spock said.
"Okay," McCoy said, taking Jim's free hand. "I promise, Jim, I will be there."
I will try, McCoy thought, for you.
The End.