Time is a God and We Cannot See Her Face

PART 5

{Song: "Run Away to Mars" by TALK}

"Captain. I would like to accompany you to the surface. If you would permit it."

The day after their chess match was interrupted, the crew of the Enterprise was afforded a brief shore leave on the beautiful planet Bhoriom. Jim had been trying to find a spare moment to smooth things over with his first officer, but their respective duties had prevented him from doing so. It was Spock who managed to find him first. The Vulcan stood before him now in his black federation jacket, a small duffel bag slung across his shoulder and his hands shoved in his pockets. He wore a light blue beanie cap emblazoned with the Delta symbol, a gift from Sulu at their Christmas party a year ago.

"Of course, Spock." Jim's throat tightened but he smiled warmly at his friend anyways. He couldn't avoid Spock any longer, and despite his complicated emotions about him, he didn't want to avoid him. "Bones has already flown the coop and Scotty is having a fun evening with his lady the Enterprise. We can bunk together. Come on."

As they headed for the transporter room, their steps fell into sync, a detail Jim harbored with trademark sentimentality. Once beamed down, they snagged a map of the renovated layout of the facility. A string of modern huts on stilts lined the winding bridge, separated by densely flowered trees stretching up and beyond the roofs to disappear into the misty clouds. Despite the rainforest-like appearance, Jim was grateful for Spock's sake that it was not a humid climate. "This one's vacant, let's check it out." Jim unlocked the door and strode inside.

"Most satisfactory, Captain." Spock seemed disinterested in the surroundings; and, Jim observed, the Vulcan was more restless than usual. He scoped out the side room, then rejoined Jim in the main larger room, setting down his bag near the sofa.

"We don't have to spend too much time cooped up in here," Jim offered. Spock nodded, stepped over to a curious lever on the wall and pulled it to reveal a large skylight above them.

"Very nice!" Jim drew aside the window curtains beside him to reveal an absolutely breathtaking scene of the surrounding mountains, blue and looming and covered in striking flowered trees. He could stare at it for hours through these panes, but he had to admit he missed being out in nature himself. He pushed a button on the window frame and the invisible field buzzed away, leaving a giant pair of wooden-lattice doors the only thing between them and a balcony and the light drizzle of rain in the sunshine. An odd howl much like a wolf's emanated from the not-so-distant peaks, echoing throughout the moonless dusk. Jim wondered what exactly those howling creatures looked like up close.

"Huh." He grinned. "Well, never-mind the 'feeling-cooped-up' part." He took off his jacket revealing a green v-neck t-shirt underneath, casual but similar to his favorite green command shirt. "Too bad we can't beam everyone down to spend Christmas here, it would be perfect. Holy crap, that's next week already, isn't it?"

Spock chanced a non-committal glance towards the captain in the snug-fitting t-shirt, then immediately flitted his eyes away.

Jim (oblivious) continued.
"Anyways. Seems the welcoming council has composed several pamphlets on planet-side adventures in the area tomorrow morning, if you'd like to join me for any of them." He whipped a few of the brochures out of his pants pocket.

"I would like to speak with you first, if you'll allow, Captain."

Here it is. "Of course." Jim dropped the pamphlets on the side table and leaned against the wall, trying to act casual. Outside to his right, the glorious flowered scene; inside, just in front of him, his contemplative first officer. "Always. What is it?"

Spock mirrored him, moving to stand at the opposite end of the window frame but remaining planted on both feet, hands clasped behind his back. "You recently insisted that you know... how I feel," he began, slowly, cautiously, his eyes staring past Jim's, devoid of anything Jim could dare to call emotion. "And I have asked you to explain how you know. I would like to ask for that explanation again, now, as we were interrupted during our last conversation."