
“I’m sorry, Mom. I know how hard that was for you.”
They were back on the road, headed to Cedar Rapids to the commercial shuttle bay for the shuttle that would take them to San Francisco and then one that would eventually take them to Orion.
It had been a gloomy visit. Warren hadn’t remembered his sister Winona, Jim or even his own daughter. But his mom had tried and her gentle patience with her brother had touched Jim.
“It was yeah,” she admitted. She glanced at him. “What about you?”
Jim sighed. “I can’t pretend I didn’t think about Chekov. But his situation was a little different than Uncle Warren’s. He ended up in a facility because he was catatonic. After that mission…” Jim shook himself. “He was too young for that to happen.”
“I don’t think there was anything you could have done, honey.”
“Logically I know that. I feel guilty sometimes. Not because of what happened, because, well, of course. But because when they notified me, he’d passed, I was relieved.”
She reached over and patted his leg. “It had to be difficult seeing someone you cared about and who you felt responsible like that, a shell of what he once was. No one would blame you for feeling relieved. He wouldn’t suffer anymore.”
“That’s what I tell myself. Everyone tells me there was no chance he’d ever come out of it, and I trust what they said, but sometimes I just don’t know how to feel. I don’t want to dwell on it but it’s hard not to.”
“Well, not many people dwell on tragedy as much as I have so I get where you’re coming from. Try to remind yourself, as I try, that he wouldn’t want you to suffer so much over it. You know? The best we can do is to honor who they were and how they lived. And not waste our own lives. Took me a long time to learn that.”
Jim nodded and looked out at the road. “Were you close when you were young to your brother?”
“Not as close as I wish we’d been, honestly. He was older by a few years. Thought I was a brat.” She laughed. “He was right. Here we are. Let’s hope it doesn’t take too long to get to San Francisco.
The shuttle from Cedar Rapids to San Francisco was uneventful. But shortly after they arrived, his mother stopped next to a bar.
“Why don’t you go in and order us something to drink? I need to get our tickets and a few other supplies we’ll need, so go on in there and wait for me.”
Jim frowned. “How long will we be there? I didn’t pack anything.”
She smirked. “I know. Leave that to me. That’s part of what I need to get. I won’t be long. And I’m not sure. I’m hoping at the most we’ll be there overnight and on our way. I don’t anticipate any problems.”
“I always anticipate problems.” Jim retorted.
“Yes, I know. Go in. Get a refreshment and relax. I’ll join you soon.”
With a grimace, Jim went through the swinging doors, they were made to look like old-fashioned saloon doors and headed for the bar counter and ordered their drinks.
He was just carrying them over to a booth when he heard his name called.
“Jim? Jim, it is you.”
He set them on the table and turned to greet Nyota Uhura, who flung her arms around him to embrace him.








