First scene, the meeting, and how it happened.

Big brother part 2

I had received two messages that day. One was from my ex-wife, or rather her attorney. The other was from Star Fleet. I decided to get the bad news out of the way first. Of course, if the one from Star Fleet was a refusal, well, then both would be bad news anyway, so what the hell.

The first message was just what I thought it would be. That bitch's lawyer made sure I was left with nothing in the divorce. No home, no belongings, hell, even my own daughter was going to be her sole responsibility. I would be allowed visitation, only when SHE gave me permission. And that would happen in what century?

I resigned myself to being an absent father, and would wait until Joanna came of age, when we could see each other unimpeded by her witch of a mother. I hoped she would understand. I loved that sprite from the moment she was born. Joanna was THE only good thing to come of that marriage.

I thought briefly of Nancy. Now there was a woman worth marrying. But I was too involved in my medical career to ask her. Then it was too late. She went and married Professor Robert Crater, and was gone.

So rather than lament my newfound homelessness, I decided in a pique, to apply to Star Fleet Medical. I knew it wasn't the best amendment to my career path, since being an aviophobe, it would mean I'd be doing something that scared me to death. But it might get me off-planet, and that would be the best thing for all concerned right now.

I opened the message, not wanting to look at the screen. But I did, pleased to see that it was an acceptance letter. I was to report to the academy in one week for first year training. It would also mean expanding my specialization fields to include exobiology.

I decided, to celebrate my new life, I would go out on a bender before I left. And who better to celebrate with, but Bob Carson, an old friend who chose to practice medicine in the hinterlands of Iowa. Since Riverside, Iowa was a pick up point for cadets going to San Francisco, it would be the perfect time to see Bob. We'd hung out, gotten perfectly drunk, while telling tall tales to each other, and anyone else who would listen. I realized, almost too late, that the shuttle for the academy was taking off at 0800, and I hadn't even changed clothes. Hell, I had barely washed up, let alone shaved.

I'd arrived at Riverside Shipyard with a few minutes to spare. The vessel being built there was massive, a new model as I understood. But I had no time to stop and stare. I boarded the shuttle, when a sudden wave of panic hit me. I excused myself to go to the restroom. I was relieved it had no window, so I sat there, hiding, petrified, unable to move. Next thing I knew, there was pounding on the door. I had opened it slightly to find a petite woman in grey. She ordered me out of the restroom. I tried to tell her why I needed to stay in there, but she refused to listen, and threatened me instead. So I took my seat. What choice did I have?

Next to me was a young kid, also out of uniform, who reassured me that spaceflight was safe. I corrected him squarely on that matter. We shared one last drink from a flask I carried around with me, and introduced ourselves. He said his name was Jim Kirk. By the injuries on his face, he must have been a scrapper, or just very clumsy. As a doctor, I always noticed when someone had been hurt. He had an easy way about him, but for some reason, I had assumed he'd been in a fight. And like me, he seemed a johnny-come-lately, compared to all the walking red uniforms around us. I took to him right off. Little did I know at the time that we would become fast friends, brothers even. I called him 'kid', and he called me 'Bones' because I had mentioned the fact that my ex had left me nothing but my bones. And that was how I met James Kirk, the man who would later become my captain, and I, his ship's CMO. But that meeting was only the beginning.