John was bringing himself over to the restroom. Samantha was sitting down on a couch munching on popcorn sitting down on the couch watching a comedy horror movie. To be brutally honest, John was taking a nap on the floor. A power nap, he would insist. Walking alone without support was as difficult as delivering an alien races newborn. Not that he had done it himself. He felt like a child taking a nap in where they were standing. John sighed, lifting himself up then resumed crawling toward the bedroom. His legs felt like they were aching. John went through much worse than this when he was a marine. He vanished into the living room. The door behind him closed.
"Mr Spock?" Samantha sounded surprised.
"Where is the doctor?" Spock asked.
"Going to the restroom," Samantha said. "And I am afraid to ask. . ."
"The captain is in one of his moods." Spock said. His hands locked behind his back.
"Oh." Samantha said. Like that would explain everything. The hint of an expression on his face indicated she might understand what the kind of 'mood' he was alluding to. She hadn't shared the same quarters with Jim or anything like it during the academy. They crossed paths. They didn't have sex. They were good friends. She didn't know the young man well as John did. "What kind of moods?
"He has been given a transmission and refuses to come out of his quarters to deal with the situation at hand." Spock paused. "Ensign Jester refused to inform me what has distressed the captain as much as it had."
"That kind of news." Samantha said, in a low voice.
Spock tilted his head.
"Explain." Spock said.
"People do that when they can't handle it. You know, when they are afraid." Samantha said. Spock seemed to have a blank look on his face. She felt uneasy speaking to a Vulcan who was acting emotionless. For all those years, she worked with emotional Vulcans. Spock was different. A nice change and she liked him for that. "Surely, you did that too, before."
"It is highly illogical for a Vulcan to lock themselves." Spock remarked.
John made his way into the shared bathroom that was both a restroom and a liquor cabinet. Scotty was in the bath tub reading a padd and holding a tea cup with Keenser on the other side reading a magazine. The bathroom was well lit. John could see the man's knees sticking above the bubbles. The counter was decorated in bottles that had been sneaked into the ship by John and Scotty before departing into space. John used the side of the counter to lift himself up feeling off balance. Scotty slid the screen to the side, "Have ye started to walk down the hall completely?" John managed to regain his balance with a sigh then looked over toward the scotts man.
"Why of course not." John said.
"Yer not sleepin' where you walk, are ye." Scotty said, looking over toward John.
"No." John felt like a frightened deer caught on the impending doom of two headlights.
Keenser grunted.
"Why he never lies, Keenser." Scotty said. Ow, that hurt. "He hasn't lied to us yet."
John lowered his pants humming the tune to Galaxy Quest.
"Why do you expect the worse out of people?" Scotty asked.
Keenser shrugged.
"Oh, of course, I should expect that." Scotty said. He returned his attention toward the padd. "Oh my god, did that scene really happen?" He gasped. The toilet flushed itself. "No,no, this comic can not have happened." He pinched himself. "Commander Taggart would not have allowed his tech sergeant to sacrifice himself that easily!"
"A new Galaxy Quest comic?" John said.
"Yes, but there is no plot." Scotty said.
"They always had no plots." John said.
"Actually, they did. They just went down to unrealistic route." Scotty said.
"No, don't tell me they killed off the only likable member of the crew." John said.
"Aye." Scotty said, with a nod.
"That is terrible." John said.
"Would ye like a copy?" Scotty asked.
"No thank you, I swore of the comics when they turned Yoo into a god and made Tawny fall in love with him after sacrificing herself to save her ex husband Taggart. The original one." John shook his hand. "You know, not the alternate timeline version, the mysterio version, the world fifty-six version, the mirror version, the one with glasses version, not the version painted black and white, just the original."
Scotty appeared to be alarmed.
"I have yet tae read that issue." Scotty said.
"Don't read it." John said. "They ruined her character."
John pulled his pants up and zipped them. He used the wall as his support to continue walking. Scotty shrugged as the man got out of the bathroom. He pulled his shirt down over the zipped up zipper. He used the side of the counter to keep himself from falling abruptly to the floor. T'Spol's method was quite brilliant and quite, naturally, good enough to try getting his swimming legs back. It was still a problem that he couldn't walk on his own. It was a miracle he can walk again. He came to the doorway of his bedroom where it opened to reveal Spock with Samantha close behind him, "I tried to stop him!" John had excellent hearing. He knew how the conversation went from inside the bathroom.
"You have to go in yourself," John said, leaning against the wall. "And listen to him."
"Gary Mitchelle has been transferred to the brig as he has attempted to choke Nurse Chelso." Spock said.
"Look," John said. He held his hands up briefly in front of his chest. "If Jim is in his quarters-" John leaned against the frame of the doorway. He had apparently been growing a beard out on his off-time. "Then he is most likely emotionally compromised and it is up to you."
"He cannot be in there forever." Spock said.
Samantha facepalmed herself as a thought had occurred to John.
"I know someone who did do that and they were never the same." John said. "Though, they were allergic of everythin' afterwards."
"Wouldn't it be logical to have someone who knows how the captain inside and outside?" Spock inquired. "I am a stranger."
"Uh huh." John was convinced. "If you were a stranger then you would be dead." He tapped on the Vulcan's chest at the mention of the word 'dead'. He leaned his hand back placing it to the side of his hip. "Plain and simple." With his elbow leaning against the door frame. "You are the first officer of the ship."
"Affirmative." Spock said.
"It is your duty to get him out of what he is drownin' himself in." John said.
"I do not understand your metaphor." Spock said.
"Sometimes he makes it up as he goes." Samantha said.
"He does?" Spock inquired.
"He uses a lot of bullshit." Samantha said.
"How does the waste of bull pertain to making up?" Spock inquired.
"You have a lot to learn." Samantha said, with a smile.
"Christy, go watch the next scary movie." John said. "I think the terrible version is comin' up. The one with the bed jumpin'?"
Her face turned into pure horror.
"OH MY GOD NO." Samantha dashed down the hallway crashing onto the couch flipping it over.
"Jim is in angst mode, right now," John said. "He has been informed of some life alterin' knowledge. Which means he is paralyzed on what to do for the next twenty-four hours. Which are crucial for his future." Spock appeared to be curious. "Logically," He held his free hand up. "If I am readin' my Jim right, he has been informed his mother is either dead, Sam is dead, or he is a parent."
"He is not prepared to be a parent." Spock said.
"Exactly where his angst comes in," John said. "He lost his father. His own parental figure is light years away on Earth behind a comfy, glass desk and sittin' in a classy chair readin' reports and court martial reports and ship design plans." He shook his his hand. "All the borin' stuff of course. Which reminds me, I have to make sure he doesn't become make the worst mistake of his career in the far future. Which is helpin' others. He can not do a thin' as a vice admiral or being an admiral." He held his index up for a moment. "Now humor me for a minute. What good would a man like Jim do on Earth instead of bein' captainin' a ship."
"Die." Spock said.
John rolled an eye.
"Besides that, Spock!" John said.
"Get turned into a criminal and taken to a prison ship nearby Delta Vega." Spock said.
"And then die." John said. "You know just as I do he wouldn't last."
Spock nodded.
"That is true, Doctor." Spock said.
"How would you fair as a father?" John asked.
"I would excel at it." Spock said.
"Get out and talk to Jim." John said. "Force your way in. That's what I did."
"But you were roommates." Spock reminded him. "And his door is locked."
John puckered his lips and frowned for a moment there.
"Good point," John said. "I had a bed to hit the hay on." He looked back at the memory of their shared quarters. Jim's half of the room was messy. The other half, belonging to John, was clean as a whistle. Being made a clean freak from boot camp never left. Ever. "A relationship between the captain and the commander starts with trust. You have to be reassurin' in your probably best condescendin' way with your statistics. Number your way out and turn the situation upside down."
"I would be insulted but that is clearly a compliment." Spock said. "And why would he take comfort in the numbers?"
"Numbers, Spock," John said. "Is what makes us defy them." John remembered the chances of survivin' his missions as a marine. "And define ourselves." John let out a smile thinking of how he had saved Portman from friendly fire. "Now, I have a theory that Jim is goin' to do what his father would be doin' if he were still around. Brin' up his father. Just like last time. Yank him out screamin' if need be. And remind him that his other best friend is sittin' in the brig."
"I only brought up his father to make a point." Spock said.
"Point made!" John said. "But this is personal. And it effects the entire ship, so you might want to go right now instead of talkin' with me. Precious minutes are slippin' by. All of which you two can spend it decidin' what to do with Gary and Elizabeth."
"His door is locked." Spock said.
"Okay," John said. "I will let you use me this once when it comes to Jim." He held up his index finger. "Just this once!" Spock nodded. "You have to handle Jim on your own." He pointed back at the Vulcan's chest. "He is still hurtin' from our break up and you make a good patsy on recoverin' him."
"As you wish." Spock said.
"Christine, get the wheelchair out!" John called.
"All right!" Samantha replied.
"And by the way-" John leaned forward. "If you leave his ass on a away mission intentionally on my watch then I will personally kill you and not leave any evidence behind." John flashed one of his killer smiles. "Do we understand each other?"
"I do not doubt it." Spock said.
"Good." John said, leaning himself away.
