Title: Mute the Stars
Author: Renne
Fandom: Star Trek (Slight AU)
The stars were silent tonight.
The stars were silent and he wanted to hear them sing.
He stood on the observation deck with a tin whistle in his hands and nothing but the stars infinitely in front of him.
They'd call him soon; he knew that. He knew they'd call him to play at graduation but he was secretly afraid. Afraid of something he couldn't entirely put a finger on.
It's a nice kind of fear.
Willie didn't understand the words of his now former roommate just then; memories of the legends going through his mind.
Legends like the famed James Kirk, the steadfast Spock or the clever, and in his opinion the most heroic, Montgomery Scott. He knew their stories, knew how they had ended.
Willie didn't want an end.
"William? It's time."
"Comin', Charlie."
The cadet turned to follow Charles out and down the halls. When he entered the room set aside for the graduation pomp and ceremony, Charlie gave a smile and went to sit down.
The cadet was greeted by a room filled with faces staring at him. Some were staring at his kilt, no doubt, but bugger them. It was the ones staring at him inthe face that gave him the chillbumps. He walked down the center aisle and up onto the stage.
...named for a hero...
He was terrified. It was an odd terror that some twisted part of himself didn't want to go away - it gave him a kind of high, standing here on the brink of past and future. He didn't hear the dean announce the fact he was graduating early. He heard his mum tell him stories of ancient mariners, cold North oceans, clever heroes and men whose names a scattered few know.
When the dean silenced, Willie raised his tin whistle and began to play.
The stars were mute tonight, so he sang to the stars.
And no more was William Wilde Herscher afraid of changes.