Read Online Constellations by Marco Palmieri - Free Book Online

interests would be sated. We’d certainly get a better officer out of the deal.”
    â€œOn the other hand, sir, he might also be what you humans call a jack-of-all-trades and master of none. By working with him in my department, we can get a specialist in a more focused number of fields, the yield being that we’d all benefit from his knowledge.”
    â€œBut, Spock, he’s got a terrific feel for space, which would make him a gifted helmsman. His simulator scores were among the top in his class.”
    Spock cocked an eyebrow at Kirk, choosing to let the captain have the officer rather than create disharmony between them. “I see you have done your research and have given this a good deal of thought. Arguing with you further would not change your mind.”
    â€œYou give in too easily,” Kirk said, still smiling.
    â€œNot at all, I merely know when an argument is no longer productive. You wish to make the transfer.”
    â€œYes, I do. Helm is an important position and a strong part of the command staff. I want the crew to know that opportunities like this can happen. I’m not just picking a raw kid out of the lower decks. He’s already a section head so this is a logical step in his career, sideways as it seems to you.”
    â€œI’ll process the change orders and begin searching for a new astrophysicist.”
    Kirk nodded and stood, clearly enjoying the victory. As the captain strode out of the mess, Spock remained at the table. This captain was nothing like Christopher Pike, the only other captain he had served with. Pike was more cerebral, relying as much on experience as on the Starfleet guidelines. Kirk, though, seemed to count more on his intuition, seemingly ignoring logic in favor of what he referred to as his gut. While familiar with the human idiom, he remained perplexed why humans would still follow such irrational hunches over empirical evidence. Still, Kirk had proven a more than able commander, and studying him was endlessly fascinating.
    Given the Enterprise ’s schedule, it was determined the ship could do without an astrophysicist for a short while, so Sulu was given an almost immediate transfer to the bridge. Spock, in his role of first officer, made certain the lieutenant was aware of bridge rules and operations. He even made Sulu go through simulations to test him on the helm during crisis scenarios. The captain had been correct; the lieutenant was a gifted pilot and passed with the highest marks yet recorded on the starship. Sulu smiled easily, his broad grin exposing white teeth, and he did so often, even during simulated crisis missions. He was clearly relishing the opportunity, and Spock recognized that the new helmsman was more like Kirk than he imagined. Perhaps it was self-recognition that informed the captain’s gut that Sulu would excel in his new post.
    Still, as part of the command track, Sulu would need experience taking the lead in various circumstances. He had already commanded the bridge for two gamma shifts without incident. Now he needed more seasoning with planetary experience, something astrophysics seldom offered.
    The Enterprise had encountered a star system with one Class-M planet, previously uncharted. Kirk had ordered the ship inside the system, and they had surveyed six outer planets before settling into orbit around the only one capable of supporting life. Sensors indicated the planet was devoid of any life-form more complex than lower flora and fauna. However, they had also detected ruins of a civilization, so something sentient had lived here once. The captain deemed the planet worthy of further exploration and cataloguing, and he also decided it was an ideal scenario to let Sulu lead his first landing party to the surface for initial fieldwork. Spock couldn’t argue with the reasoning and, in fact, supported the decision.
    â€œMr. Sulu,” Kirk said, standing to the helm’s side, “we’ll beam