Family Matters
Scotty wandered down the Square, not caring where he went. After a few minutes of walking, he stopped where he could see San Francisco Bay in the distance, with the ancient but still vital Bay Bridge standing tall. As he pondered the vision of the long-ago engineers and architects, he was brought back to the moment he pushed the button that collapsed the warp field bubbles on the Grizzly, launching a slug of steel into the pirate ship. He again heard himself cheering, along with the engine room crew, as the menacing vessel disintegrated into glowing gas. But he wondered if it felt so good then, why were his hands shaky every time he thought about it?
Just then, a young couple walked past him and entered a small shop. His eyes followed them to the doorway, and he realized it was a jewelry shop. The look on their faces told the entire happy tale. He wondered how many years they'd be together. Contract marriages were legal now, but his mum and pap had done it the old way. They settled in Linlithgow, in old Scotland and there they had stayed together, raising him and his younger sister. They've been together for over twenty five years now, and their lasting love was so obvious. Great parents he had and a lovely sister. He wondered if his sister was still dating that power plant specialist. Seemed like a nice guy. Preston was his last name. He realized that he had been staring through the shop window for too long, so he turned to go and bumped into an older man. "Excuse me," he muttered.
"That's all right, Mr. Scott." Dr. Walters was staring at him from under a jaunty cap.
"Sorry, Doctor Walters. I didn't see you."
"That's all right cadet." The professor could see that Scott had been wool-gathering. "Nice day, isn't it?"
Scott nodded. "Yes, the weather controllers have made another fine one for San Fran."
"When I was a student here, there were too many times the fog was so thick you couldn't see your past you nose. All a product of global warming shifting the Pacific Current. But that's all so long ago, no one seems to remember."
"Aye, sir. The 20th and 21st centuries made a mess of the environment, not to mention the Eugenics Wars."
"All in all, a nasty business we're just now cleaning up."
"Yes sir. Too true. Dr. Walters, I would like to apologize for my outburst today," he said, sounding sincere.
"Son, that's alright. Apology accepted. Do you know that you passed that exam with flying colors?"
"Well, sir, I had hoped. That little surprise on the last problem threw me for a minute or so. But I could see how the manifold equation pulled it all back together."
Walters laughed. "I've been stumping students on that one for years. That problem has become an institution at the Academy, almost like me. But perhaps not for long."
", are you retiring? I think that you have a way of challenging the students. Your course has a way to separate sheep from goats. I would hate to see you leave."
"Thank you, son. That's high praise coming from Cadet Scott." Walters chuckled. "But I've been at the Academy longer than twice your years, my boy. Might be time to retire somewhere and soak these old bones in the sun."
"You're welcome, sir."
Walters looked hard at the young man. "Mr. Scott, I'd like you to come see me in a few days, if you would."
"Of course, sir. What time would be convenient?"
"How about Friday at thirteen hundred? I have some free time then."
"Friday, sir. I'll be there." Scotty brightened a bit. "And thanks for the word on the grade."
"No problem. All my pleasure. Good evening to you, Mr. Scott," and grinning, he strolled off.
Scotty watched the old professor walk away, wondering how much Dr. Walters knew about his field assignment. It almost seemed like he knew all about it. "Scotty, me lad, you'd better watch your tongue, or 'twill be hell to pay." Then he headed back to the Academy grounds.
After a long and wayward walk back to the Academy, he found himself at the upper student barracks. Emerging on level twelve, he opened his dorm door, and saw his room mate Moriko Yamanaka sprawled on their sagging couch, a bottle in hand. As mere plebes they would have been in a true barracks, but as mighty fourth years they rated a shared room.
"Scotty, my old and missing roommate! Where have you been? Aceing a few exams, have you? Making life tough on the rest of us?" Yamanaka's sarcasm dripped.
"No Mori, I went for a walk. Doing a bit of thinking. Looks like you've havin' a drop or two."
"Well, after the disaster I made of my Fire Control simulation today, I might as well drown my sorrows. Perhaps you'd like to join me?" He swigged more from the brown bottle. "Come on, I managed to destroy half of the flagship today by being slow on the mark. Those electronic Klingons chewed us up! Come on! Have a belt!"
"No, I'd better not. I'm scheduled for an away team drill tomorrow and I need to be sharp. Besides, if one of the Proctors would catch us, well, I'd not want to jeopardize all my work for a wee dram."
"Scotty, come on. It's just a little drink. Ah, what's the use? With my grades, I'm not certain I'll be here next term, let alone next week. So be it." He drank again, and looked quizzically up his room mate. "Still in a dither, eh? We've all noticed it. What's eating you?"
Scott stood ramrod straight facing his questions but he didn't, in fact, dare to answer.
"Well, my fine friend, I'd suggest that you run a full diagnostic on your own systems. There may be a few bugs in the program, you know?" Mori drank more and his head began to slide lower and lower as the synthahol did its work.
Scotty leapt forward and grabbed the bottle before Mori dropped it, whose head was now almost level with the cushions. He eased his spent roommate down onto the couch and while examining the bottle was tempted. "Mori, me lad, if you only knew. Aye, if you only knew." He retrieved a blanket and covered him. Then he threw the bottle into the recycler and went to bed.