Nurse Christine Chapel sighed in relief as she dropped into the chair in her quarters at the end of her shift. The five year mission was coming to a close soon and there were a thousand and one things to tie up before the final berthing. Each of the tight-knit crew of the Enterprise was preparing for a new future in their own way and Christine's thoughts went to her own plans. Reaching over to the terminal on her desk she pushed one of the buttons to log on to the ship's computer to see if there was any confirmation of her acceptance in the Starfleet Medical degree course she had applied for.
"Computer! Check for incoming subspace communications, authorisation Chapel, Christine."
A voice she recognised answered her. "There are no unopened incoming messages."
After long minutes glued to her chair in stunned amazement, her face clouding over in anger, she rose and hurried out of the door, to storm up to Lieutenant Commander Scott in Engineering, minutes later.
"Scotty, is this some kind of joke?"
Feigning innocence, he gave her one of his boyish smiles "What d'ye mean, lassie?"
"You know very well what I mean you old reprobate! Why does the computer suddenly sound like me?"
His look of hurt was not feigned this time. "Ah like a good joke as much as the next man but ah wouldn'a dream of tamperin' with ship's systems!"
"Hmmm," she looked only half-convinced, "perhaps. That doesn't answer my question though."
Scotty looked uncomfortable, as if he had bitten on something bitter. "It's a new upgrade to the ship's computer's vocal interface by, uh, Mr Spock."
"Spock?!"
"Aye. He's been working on it for months now, he needed vocal engrams for the program and, uh, he seems to have used yours." He seemed to find something interesting in a grill on the far corner of the ceiling as he continued casually, "I've heard that Starfleet Command is going to make it a standard across the fleet."
Christine was shocked! "My voice is going to be heard in every ship of the fleet?!" Her hand fluttered at her throat as she considered the enormity of this intrusion on her privacy. "What gives him the right ...!" She couldn't go on. All those years of lost opportunities, she thought, and now he callously takes something so personal as my voice from me. Her eyes misted at the hurt.
"Christine, no!" Scotty walked around the console and touched her lightly on the arm. He felt awkward in this situation but couldn't bear to see a friend so hurt. "Ah know Mr Spock better than most and though he can be tactless, infuriating and stubborn as a mule there's not a hurtful bone in his body. He's nae said anything, aye, and he never would, but I think it's his way of keeping you with us after you've gone."
The eternal spark of hope in her flared once more as she doubtingly stammered, "But he's never ..."
Scotty leaned forward, lowering his voice conspiratorially. "Christine, he's Vulcan. What d'ye expect from him? Flowers an' chocolates?" He leaned back against the console, crossing his arms.
"We'll all miss ye, y'know. You've been a part of the Enterprise right from the beginning and you're closer to me than my family. It's a part of life that people have to move on and, although we can hope to meet again, until then ... all we can have is this 'digital you' and our memories."
Turning to his Chief Technician he raised his voice, "Henderson! The shift is yours, I'll be in ma quarters on my break."
Gallantly offering his arm to his friend he gestured to the door. "Could I offer you some afternoon tea, miss?
It was true. One door closes and another one opens. She was moving on but she found it oddly comforting to know that this digital Christine would continue to be a part of her friend's lives. Laughing, she took his arm. "You certainly may, sir!"
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