Hobbies
Jim Kirk is a man who is beginning to appreciate the importance of hobbies.
Right now, he's standing in the gym, panting, sweating from every pore. He has just had his ass handed to him, and he has never felt better in his life.
"Thanks, Sam," he says, to the sheepish crewman standing a little awkwardly beside him: He's obviously wondering whether the Captain means it. "I mean it."
And the crewman grins. "No problem, sir – It's kind of a hobby of mine."
"What, mopping up the floor with superior officers?" and, despite the words, Kirk's tone tells how really, truly okay it is.
"No, sir, I mean the sparring." Sam's eyes crinkle, just a little. "But now that you mention it…"
Kirk laughs, and he grabs a towel. "Let's do it again, sometime."
"Okay, Captain. Sure."
"But not too soon," and, giving his quirking smile, Jim is the sheepish one, then, "I can tell this is gonna hurt…"
The crewman laughs. And it truly is okay.
Two days later, Kirk's visiting Sickbay. Soreness has set in; and the doctor's frown worsens, as Jim winces with every movement – the whole while, telling him how great the sparring was.
"Jesus, Jim," the doctor grumbles, "You seriously gotta get a hobby."
"Come on, Bones, were you even listening?"
"Yeah, Jim – But I mean a hobby. Like a hobby - something you do just because you like to. Everybody needs a hobby, Jim."
"Spock doesn't have a hobby," Jim shoots back, fast as lightning.
McCoy's glare is awesome. After a second, he finds words: "You comparing yourself to Spock, now?"
Jim laughs and relents. "What, you want me to take up crosswords or square dancing?"
"Maybe." And the doctor's voice is a little musing…
"Scotty likes reading technical manuals," Jim says, thinking he can distract Bones from lecturing him about 'all work and no play'. (Jim does like to play, but Bones rarely approves – This is something better left unmentioned, maybe.)
"Scotty also likes whiskey, but I wouldn't exactly call that a hobby, Jim."
True enough. He decides to make Bones laugh ('cause a Bones who is truly happy is not hypo-happy)…
"Knitting? Uhura knits." She does, too: He's seen her.
And the look Bones gives him, then, isn't happy. It's serious, and maybe a touch grim.
"Not a hobby, Captain." His voice goes quiet, even warning him off a little, "Somethin' else entirely, I do believe."
And Jim knows to drop that as fast as he can.
"Well, Bones, I'll think about it. Meantime, I'm doing okay." Bones is frowning a bit, but it's only at what Jim has just said. "And hey, you oughta be happy: I'm working out."
That gets him a bona fide Bones growl: "I don't think that being a human punching bag really counts, do you?"
Jim chuckles ruefully. "No, maybe not. But I'm gonna fence with Sulu, next." And he knows he should try harder, but he just can't resist: "That's a hobby, right?"
Moving out of the doctor's reach actually kinda hurts like hell.
So Jim spends a couple of days noticing what people do in their off-hours.
He sees at least 5 different board games, puzzles, and plenty of poker.
And, oh yeah, chess. Does everybody on the whole ship play chess, now?
There are people on-board who do bookbinding, woodcarving, lampworking; drawing, paper-folding, juggling.
Lots of people sew, or embroider, or quilt, or do things like that, that he had no idea people did.
There's an historian who paints portraits of guys long dead.
The biggest guy in Security de-stresses with needlepoint. And homebrew. Homebrew and needlepoint.
And a whole bunch of people use the pool.
One evening in a crowded Rec Room One, there's a tableau that looks staged for his study: Uhura's singing something bilingual that sounds romantic – but she has a wicked, knowing smile; Rand is turning cards for solitaire and listening, with a dreamy, wistful expression; others sitting nearby nod or tap their fingers (or toes) along with the song; Spock is doing paperwork a short distance away, alone in his quiet reserve – but when he glances up, just for an instant, Jim notices that his eyes reveal amusement. To one side, a few guys in red are drawing some sort of map or chart; Riley and Tormolen quietly argue the benefits of bowling - while the rest of the people in the room laugh, or chat, or play.
Once he starts looking, Jim finds no shortage of hobbies – and the variety is astounding, really, considering the limitations of being on a starship.
He talks to people who love cooking, reading, music. He watches basketball, racquetball, volleyball; tai chi, ballet, yoga.
Jim learns about poetry, photography, research of all kinds.
He is now quite up-to-date with the very latest findings on medieval European trade routes, and the care and feeding of bonsai.
Listening to people talk about their hobbies, he sees eyes light up, and people come alive.
Even Jakobsen manages to talk to the Captain in something above a whisper when he asks her what she's doing with a long piece of string. 'Naalbinding,' she tells him in the soft Swedish voice that has, up 'til now, been merely a pretty substitute for Vulcan at the ship's Science Station. Naalbinding: Whatever that is.
And Sulu? He discovers that the poster boy for hobbies hates that word.
"I don't have hobbies, Captain," Sulu says, and his voice is indignant. "I have passions."
Kirks agrees with that, with a grin – and the idea sticks in his mind.
That evening, at dinner, the conversation revolves around their last few missions, new personnel, and shoreleave. The usual things, really – but Jim Kirk finds himself listening to their individual voices. Uhura seemed tired at first, but Spock arrived moments after; and now, sitting beside him, she is being very clever. In fact, she's as funny as hell, even when she's clearly mocking Jim in several languages. Spock is almost silent, but he makes a comment in response to Sulu's observations about some plant-life they have recently encountered. Chekov is following them, and has something to say, too, that makes Sulu jump back in. McCoy arrives in time to laugh at Uhura's latest pun, and become the target for the next quip or two.
Scotty strolls up with Timkins and Watley, and it is obvious that, unless somebody steps in soon, the ship will be in trouble - in the midst of vast untested improvements. Jim laughs, then, at what they're suggesting; and their shocked expressions just make it better. Jim looks to Spock for support, and he's delighted by the Vulcan's easy ability to follow four conversations at once. The Science Officer's few measured words of pure reason make the Engineers' faces fall; and Scotty mutters, "Well, back to the drawing board for us, then," before wandering off with the other two in tow.
Uhura makes a comment; Spock's dry reply makes her retort with something very witty. His eyebrow rises, and she laughs.
After dinner, they all start to go their separate ways. Sulu's headed to the Botany Department; and Chekov goes out with Lissom and Carlisle, the three of them discussing some arcane mathematical theory.
Bones tries to tempt Spock with the weekly poker game; but with Uhura at his side, the Vulcan declines, yet again, the Doctor's insistent invitation. When McCoy mutters something deprecating, she just laughs. "Sorry, Leonard," she says, "You can't have him this time."
Jim watches Uhura leave alongside her dignified companion: His back is straight, and he paces with his usual decorum. Her step is light, almost dancing; and as she speaks, she gazes up at him, with a slightly teasing look. He replies serenely - He's not even glancing at her; yet she smiles, her face radiant.
Kirk turns to McCoy. "I think I was wrong, Bones."
The doctor snorts. "What's today's date?"
"No, seriously. I think Spock has a hobby."
"You mean besides chess and boring the rest of us half out of our ever-lovin' minds?"
"Yes."
Whatever he hears in Kirk's voice makes Bones look up, and follow his gaze. He chokes. "Jesus, Jim, I'm still eating, here."
Jim laughs: That glare is so worth whatever awaits at his next physical.
He looks at Bones indulgently. "You, my friend, are a dirty old man."
"Oh, yeah -?"
"Yeah," Jim says, and his tone carries an ironic hint of his Captain-voice. He shakes his head and is back to being just-Jim. "I was just going to say that his hobby has got to be making Uhura happy."
And with that - in spite of himself - McCoy is forced to grudgingly agree.