Astrophobia

Montgomery Scott, chief engineer, was surprisingly important to McCoy's sanity. The fact was simple logic: McCoy hated space and Scotty maintained all functions that kept a safe barrier between he and the abysmal void. McCoy, as infamous as he was for his temper, had always dealt with Scotty politely and amiably (which Kirk attributed to what he felt was a disproportionate amount of bitching directed at himself in comparison to the rest of the world). His trust in Scotty's abilities had never been proven misplaced, and he'd even fallen into a pattern of ignoring such terrors as potential hull breaches or ship consumption while doctoring due to his time-tested faith. This, of course, did not mean he'd cozied up with the expansive vacuum, merely learned to cope with its constant threat.

Scotty, for his part, was unaware of the doctor's astrophobia until it incidentally came up in conversation with Spock. The engineer dropped his lunch tray a short distance to the counter space.

"He's wa'?" Spock raised an eyebrow and removed his tray from the replicator.

"The doctor suffers from astrophobia. Astro-space, phobia-a fear." Scotty lifted his tray, following the Vulcan to the table where Kirk was sitting, chatting to a passel of female ensigns. They scattered at the approach of the formidable Mr. Spock. "It is for that reason that we have equipped him with blinders for the panels in his quarters," Spock continued, strategically citing an example relevant to the engineer's work.

"Oh, aye, ah installed 'em mahself." Scotty squared himself to dig in on a good meal.

"What, Bones' astrophobia?" Kirk came into the conversation with a rueful glance at the ensigns. He smiled genially, "Yes, Bones has… always been afraid of space. Makes you wonder sometimes why he signed on…" The three officers slipped into a contemplative silence, each to his own figurative and literal plate.

Scotty made a firm resolution.


" 'Ey, doctor, is tha' you?" McCoy turned around, finding his hailer a way from the doors to sick bay which he'd just left.

"Hey, Scotty, d'ya need me?" The doctor stepped towards him, scanning for any external maladies.

"Yeah, I'd like ta show ya sometin'," Scotty gestured down the hallway with one arm. "Are ya off hours?"

" Yeah, I am. You too?" The engineer nodded. "Pssh, I didn't know we had 'em," McCoy muttered good-naturedly. "Anyway, lead on, Scotty." The Scotsman gave a short nod and strode off with purpose. McCoy studied him as they walked. Something about his serious air made him slightly apprehensive.

He was trying to piece together where the hell he was on the damn ship as the doors were sliding open and it nearly knocked him off his feet.

The viewing deck.

His eyes widened slightly as they took in the scenic view of the great, black, endless outdoors.

"Come on," Soctty beckoned from inside the doorway and McCoy followed suspiciously. Two sidling steps brought his back against the wall opposite the windows, gaze focused intensely on the starry expanse visible in the panes near the ceiling. "There it is."

"Yep… there it is. This is what you wanted to show me?" Scotty looked a bit aggrieved.

"Aye." He stood across the view deck hall and reached up to the clear slat and tapped it with his knuckles. "Come over here an' give this a good whack." Resistant scowl in place, McCoy crossed the hall and put a fist to the window, quickly withdrawing it. Scotty nodded. "Hit it again." McCoy complied, expression firmly sour. "Harder."

"For Christ's sake, Scotty-"

"Harder, doctor." McCoy, tenacious as he was, obliged the commanding tone that any redshirt would jump to. "Okay, now," Scotty slapped a palm to the gray wall. "Hit her good down here." The doctor did so, retracting his arms to a terse crossed position immediately after. "Feel the same?" A solitary shoulder shrugged.

"Pretty much." Scotty leaned closer to the doctor with a sympathetic explanatory face.

"Notin' gets in, notin' gets out. Unless we tell it to." McCoy blinked and looked past then back to the engineer.

"Yeah, I know. I have as much faith in the ship as the next medical officer."

"So dere's notin' to be afraid of." McCoy caught on and his latent wrath lessened considerably.

"Scotty, it's not – you don't – Listen. It's just the way I am, it has nothing to do with anything but my own personal… I don't know, quirks." Scotty's face brightened.

"Aye, ah know, but come back here." McCoy gladly returned to the far side of the hall. Scotty popped a panel out of the wall and switched a few wires. The lights dimmed to black and the galaxies out the window were illuminated in their stark beauty. Scotty turned back to the clear panes and leaned against the wall with the doctor. "They're the same ones we saw back home," he commented on the stars. "The Earth's just a bigger floatin' object than a starship." A pleasant lapse of silence ensued for several moments, even McCoy finding something remotely likable in the power of space. Eventually, he eyed Scotty slyly and smirked.

"I still don't like the damn thing." The engineer smiled back.

"But ya have to admit, it looks right nice."

"Yeah… it's pretty nice lookin'…"