Paint and Powder

A Star Trek anthology by Andrew Joshua Talon

DISCLAIMER: This is a non-profit fan based work of prose. Star Trek: The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager et al are the property of CBS Television, and creation of Gene Roddenberry. Please support the official release.

A look at what Enterprise was thinking during the Naked Now. Written with Changingstation.

Enterprise had been involved in extremely strange events before, but this time really took the cake. While investigating the mysterious deaths of a scientific team researching a star about to turn into a black hole, a member of her crew seemed to have picked something up that slowly eroded his sanity until he ended up babbling about how they shouldn't be in space, before stabbing himself with a knife and dying in sick bay soon after.

As bad as that was, whatever he picked up seemed to have been spreading, resulting in her helmsman, Sulu running around topless chasing after other crewmen with a fencing sword, another crew member having holed himself up in Engineering while singing and flirting with communication officer Uhura whenever they tried to talk him out of there, and most bafflingly of all, Mister Spock crying his eyes out. Combined with the fact that they were in danger of crashing into the planet that was orbiting the soon to implode star, and Enterprise felt she could be forgiven for being less than happy about what was going on.

It seemed that Captain Kirk had finally found Mister Spock, so Enterprise tuned in to listen, ready to appear and try to help him make Spock see some semblance of reason when necessary.

"-Love. You're better off without it, and I'm better off without mine." The Captain's voice, strained though it was, was clearly picked up by the room's microphone's.

As Enterprise figuratively reeled in shock from such a frank admission, the Captain continued. "This Vessel, I give, she takes. She won't permit me my life. I've got to live hers."

That. That hurt.

Spock seemed to agree, Enterprise hearing his shocked voice next. "Jim?" He asked, seeming to be asking if Kirk was serious about what he was saying.

But Kirk if he heard him, didn't seem to care as he continued, his voice cracking. "I have a beautiful Yeoman. Have you noticed her, Mr Spock? You're allowed to notice her." He paused for a moment, but then, his voice full of regret, he said, "The Captain's not permitted."

By this point, it was clear to Enterprise that the Captain had been infected by the same thing that had driven the rest of the crew mad. But it hurt all the same. This thing... wasn't changing them that much, their personalities were still recognisably their own, all that was changed was the removal of whatever inhabitations were preventing them from doing these kind of things before.

Spock seemed to pull himself together to tell Kirk something, but once again the Captain ignored him. "Now I know why it's called She." He noted as he gazed up at the camera, as if looking directly at Enterprise.

"Flesh Woman to touch, to hold. A beach to walk on. A few days, no braid on my shoulder." His words gouged their way into Enterprise's heart.

He was right, after all. She was not flesh, in his presence she was light. She was made of cold metal and plastic, as she surrounded him. At the end of the day, she was a ship and he was a human, whatever else their relationship may be, that would never change. They couldn't walk on the beach together, they couldn't hold hands. All they could do is talk and feel, and yet be apart. But that didn't mean he wasn't her Captain. And she, his ship.

But at the same time, any relationship they had would only serve to hurt him. This may not be her captain in his normal state, but it was him all the same. She was his duty as much as his ship. And that would always hurt him if their relationship ever became anything more.

Despite her holographic appearance, she was the Starship Enterprise. And he was Captain James T. Kirk. How much would they be hurt, before they accepted those facts?

Afterwards, when everything had been settled and the day saved once again, Kirk sat in his quarters alone, thinking. He then made his decision.

"Enterprise?"

She appeared before him in her usual holographic form, standing prim and proper with her hands behind the small of her back.

"Captain," she responded, "how can I help you?"

Kirk stared at her for a time.

"This... Hasn't been easy on you, has it?" Kirk asked. "Seeing humanity at its worst."

Enterprise stared back at him, keeping her facial features on automatic control.

"It wasn't your fault," she said carefully, "humans are their limitations, as much as their emotions. Their will to be more than just their base feelings."

"You're very kind," Kirk said, gratitude mixed with regret. He worked his jaw. "As to... What I said-"

"I am your ship," Enterprise stated firmly, "and you are my captain. That is the nature of the life you have chosen, and my existence. My purpose for being." She gazed back into his eyes, her emotions threatening to overwhelm her tight control. "That's all there is to it. That's... All it can ever be."

Kirk stared at her. She stared back. Kirk nodded slowly, his face perfectly controlled and neutral.

"That's right," he murmured. "Thank you Enterprise. That will be all."

"Yes sir," Enterprise replied, shutting off her projection. Leaving her captain alone in silence once again.

Because their relationship would be like this...