Constellations by Marco Palmieri Page B

then resumed its vertical path. As the doors opened seconds later, Kirk stepped out, feeling his first officer’s eyes on his back.
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    Eschewing the center seat for the moment, Spock sat in silent contemplation at his usual bridge station, his arms folded across his chest. He had ample time to begin his review of the tricorder records that had been taken on the surface below, the first logical step to understanding what had transpired.
    With a few deft flicks of the controls to his left, Spock summoned the audiovisual transcripts from the three tricorders belonging to the landing party. Their contents had been automatically uploaded to the computer library banks as soon as the party returned to the ship. Three screens above Spock’s station flickered to life as the recordings began to play. As he adjusted the controls, modifying the playback speeds for his preference, Spock allowed his mind to review the recent past.
    Weeks ago, following a disastrous mission to the edge of the galaxy, three key personnel were lost in the line of duty: the ship’s helmsman, the senior navigator, and the ship’s psychiatrist. At a command staff meeting, Kirk reviewed the various staff openings that needed addressing. Piper’s retirement had already been in the works, but now Alden at communications had requested a transfer to be with his fiancée, and engineering had an opening. Spock, as first officer, was reviewing internal candidates for consideration before Kirk turned to Starfleet Command for fresh personnel. Kirk had made it clear, when he took command, that he always wanted to start looking internally, letting the crew know that advancement was possible during his tenure as captain.
    The command staff had determined the need to bring on at least a new engineer and communications officer, but decided on promoting Janice Rand to replace Smith as the captain’s yeoman. Kirk and Smith had not established a good working rapport, so Spock suggested a more experienced person in the role. Helm remained an open question as the meeting ended.
    A day later, Spock was finishing a meal when Kirk approached him in the mess, a smile on his face.
    â€œWe may have solved our problem at helm,” Kirk said. “After yesterday’s meeting, Hikaru Sulu came to see me. He wants to move from astrophysics to the helm. I looked at his record. The kid has terrific scores.”
    â€œIndeed he does,” Spock said. In his mind, the move did not make sense to him or for the lieutenant.
    â€œI know that tone, Spock,” Kirk said, taking a seat. “You disapprove.”
    While Spock was still learning to “read” the captain, James T. Kirk had more rapidly learned to read the Vulcan. Uncertain if the mess hall was the best place for the conversation, he hesitated.
    â€œGo ahead, Spock,” Kirk encouraged.
    â€œLieutenant Sulu has the makings of an exceptional scientist. His scores alone show an innate spatial sense that has been borne out by his work aboard the ship. The science staff responds well to him, and he is an excellent section leader. The lieutenant has what you might consider an unquenchable curiosity in a wide variety of subjects. He has taken, recently, to spending his off-hours in the botany lab, getting to know the various plants we have under observation.”
    â€œSo, you discount his ability to move to the command track?”
    â€œOn the contrary, if the lieutenant put his mind to it, he could make an excellent commander. However, I see him best serving this ship and Starfleet in the sciences.”
    â€œYou said it yourself, Spock,” Kirk countered, his expression showing he relished the debate. “He’s interested in a great many things. Did you know he tested as a crack shot? Between that and his physical reports, he’d excel in security, too. Why trap him in one department? If we move him to the bridge, that would put him on the command track and his