Cox slouched. From his seat in the press section of the glass-walled room he could see most of the vast Mission Control room. He scanned the rows of consoles. It was easy to spot Sulu's, because there was nobody attending it. There was a cover over the screen.433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuz8VmKi1dy
"Keep sitting like that and you're going to grow up with a funny-looking spine," Abby Rojas said as she passed in front of him enroute to her seat.
Cox reached out and tickled the back side of her knee.
Very covertly she stomped on his toes before moving along.
"Hey, you got good reflexes." Cox slipped a Flair pen out of his inner jacket pocket. After a final glance at Abby he began to look around the room. Reporters to the right of him, reporters to the left. Down in front, the more important types---politicians and the three wives of the astronauts.
Nibbling on the cap of his pen, Cox looked again toward the console where Hikaru Sulu should have been sitting.
"This is Robert Sarnoff, Enterprise Control. We are awaiting the start of the final television transmission from the Command Module on its return to Earth. This transmission will be a conversation between the crew and their wives. It should be noted that this is the first time the crew has been close enough to Earth to make normal conversation possible."
Bars of color crossed the big wall screen.
"Enterprise IX, this is Houston. Enterprise IX, this is Houston."
"Houston," came the voice of Kirk, "this is Enterprise IX."
Snow filled the screen. Then a picture of the crew seated in the Command Module popped up.
"Houston, do you have a picture?"
"Roger, Enterprise. We have a picture. There are three very anxious ladies here who'd like to talk to you."
"And we'd like to talk to them," said Pike, grinning.
The women had been provided with microphones. "Leonard, it's me."
"Hi, there, Nancy."
"You look great."
"Thanks. I can't see you, you know, but you sure sound terrific."
"I miss you, Leonard. Very much, and so do the kids."
"How are they, the kids?"
"Oh, they're all right. They just miss you."
"Yeah, I know. It's been tough being---yeah, tell them I've been missing them a lot, too."
It was Vina Pike's turn next. "Hi, Chris."
"Told you not to call me at work, dear."
"Are you feeling okay? You must be, if you can joke."
"Who's joking? But, what the hell? I feel wonderful. How's Inga?"
"She's good. She got the part of Wendy in her school play. It's Peter Pan."
"Show-biz runs in the family."
Vina said, "You sound so close. It's heart to believe you're really that far away in space."
"Yeah. I can't believe it, either."
Janice's first words were, "Jim? Jim, are you okay? Why are you staring like that?"
"Oh! Hi, Janice. My mind was millions of miles away---so to speak."
"We're all so very proud of you."
Kirk winced, and didn't reply immediately.
"Jim, can you still hear me?"
"Yes."
"Hey, Vina," cut in Pike. "Who's playing Captain Hook?"
"Timmy Heller."
"Figures."
"Jim?"
"What, Janice?"
"I love you."
"I love you, back," said Kirk.
"Leonard," said McCoy's wife, "I meant to tell you, your parents called. They want you to know they're thinking about you all the time."
"That's good. I've been thinking a lot about them."
"Jim, I have a surprise for you," said Janice, reaching into her purse.
"What is it?"
"Peter wrote a composition in school. It won a prize. I want to read it to you."
Kirk's eyes closed.
"Jim, can't you hear me."
"Oh, yeah, yeah. Read it, I'd like that."
Janice unfolded the wrinkled sheet of ruled paper. "My Father by Peter Kirk. That's the title. 'My father is far away from me now. He is flying to Mars. I miss him so much. I always miss him when he goes away. I'm not sad, though. I used to be sad when he went away. One day he told me something. He said that people can't only live for themselves. He said he was trying to do something that would be good for everybody. I know that's what he's doing now. He's doing something for everybody---for me, too. So even though he's far away, he's thinking about me and I'm sort of with him. That's why I'm not sad. That's why I'm so proud.'"
Pike coughed, his eyes on Kirk. McCoy had lowered his head.
Kirk tried to talk, but he had to clear his throat first.
"Janice, I want to tell you something..."
"Jim?"
Kirk sat silent for several long seconds. "I want you to know----that I love you all. Tell Peter the composition is just great," he said. "Oh, and one more thing...."
"What?"
"Tell Peter that when I get back, I'm going to have go away again. Not long though. Just to Egypt. Same as last summer."
Janice frowned, then leaned forward with her head shaking slightly from side to side.
Cox noticed that. He uncapped his pen and doodled a question mark in his notebook.
"Sure," said Janice, "I'll do that, Jim."
"Time's up, gentlemen."433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeqkXVw6lMV
"Roger, Houston," acknowledged Kirk.433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdjzSL03YQE
"The next time we'll e seeing you, you'll be on your way home."
"Amen," said Janice.
Cox shut the notebook and went back to chewing on the pen.
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