No More Down Failin'

First Officer’s Personal Log
Stardate: 4965.4

The Enterprise is 101.87 Standard Earth days into our five year mission.

We just concluded a successful negotiation with the inhabitants of LövVerk, a planet known for its unusually abundant frondescence.

The Captain, Lt. Sulu, Lt. Ayers and I were the initial away-team. Lt. Commander Scott was at the transporter controls as the beam-down was unusual. The LövVerkens are tree dwelling beings, the surface of their planet being nearly uninhabitable. In ages long past, they climbed into the trees and constructed their dwellings among the sturdy limbs of the towering Eucalyptus regnans.

The beam-down location was designated as the structure that the inhabitants referred to as their samlingsplats, their gathering place, at which all important decisions are discussed and voted on by the Elders.

We materialized on the outer most edge of the samlingsplats, on a walkway that connected the structure with the others surrounding it. The Captain was in the forefront of the team and was in the position nearest the railing intended to prevent accidental falls from the platform suspended between the trees.

As is his custom, the Captain glanced at the three other members of the landing party to ensure our safe transport. He then looked down over the railing and his complexion became unnaturally pale.

“Captain,” Lt. Sulu said, automatically grasping the Captain’s arm. They both took one step back away from the edge of the platform, looking at each other with expressions I could only interrupt as trepidation.

“I’m okay,” the Captain said in a voice intended only for the Lieutenant’s ear. He then turned to the leader of the LövVerkens who greeted us.

“You are welcome here among us,” the diminutive being said.

The briefings included the fact that the LövVerkens are no taller than 3 meters and wear no clothing. As they have fur rather than skin as a humanoid would, those of us in the away team did not need to consider personal modesty on the part of the inhabitants. The one who spoke first was designated as their leader by the sash that he wore. It was golden in color and had several decorative emblems attached.

“You honor us,” the Captain responded as instructed by the briefing. The leader, who was called Wiseweed, responded with a bow echoed by the Captain.

“Come,” Wiseweed said, waving an arm toward the samlingsplats. “We will eat. We will talk. We will drink.”

The Captain followed him into the structure which was occupied by ten other LövVerkens, some of whom were female, some male, and some indeterminable. We followed the Captain and sat where directed by Wiseweed.

They were generous with their food and their drink, all of which we consumed in a show of appreciation. To refuse would be perceived as the gravest of insults and we would not allow any misperceptions to occur. It was fortunate that all of the food offered was plant based and I had no reservations in partaking.

The Captain answered their questions about the Federation, explaining why we had followed those who had come before us, how we would like to be friends with LövVerk. The elders gathered were curious, interested, and receptive to our ideas.

As their sun began to descend, the Captain attempted to excuse us and return to the ship. The elders had decided we should remain and would not be dissuaded, no matter the reasons the Captain provided. At the advice of Lt. Ayers, the Captain acquiesced and agreed that we would remain on the planet throughout the night. This pleased them immensely.

We were escorted out of the samlingsplats and guided by a LövVerken called Mapleheel to the platform that connected to the tree in the nearest proximity. When Mapleheel stepped onto the suspended bridge, the Captain took a step backward. I noted that his face was again distributingly pale.

I moved next to him and gained his attention. “Captain?”

“It’s the heights,” he said in a very quiet voice.

“You suffer from acrophobia, sir?” I asked. It was an unusual phobia for someone who chose space exploration as their vocation.

“Not heights. Falling from them. Ever since we fell from the drill,” he explained, glancing over at Sulu.

“Do you suffer as well?” I asked the Lieutenant.

“To a degree. I fell accidentally. He jumped – made the decision,” Lt. Sulu explained.

“They are waiting, sir. What are you going to do?” I asked. The LövVerken wore an expression of unhappiness.

“Just stay close by,” he said to me quietly. I nodded and we both stepped onto the platform. He was momentarily unsteady on his feet but straightened and looked ahead at the next tree. I made certain that I was walking in concert with his steps and we arrived at the second structure without incidence.

“This is the gazthuz for our most revered guests,” he assured us with a broad smile and many bows.

“We are thankful for your hospitality,” the Captain said, bowing with Mapleheel.

“You will sleep. At the rising of the sun, we will gather. We will eat. We will talk,” Mapleheel said with great enthusiasm.

“We are looking forward to eating and talking,” the Captain said, bowing again.

After making certain we had all that we needed, Mapleheel left and the Captain backed up until he was leaning against the tree in the center of the structure.

“Oh dear lord,” he said quietly to no one specifically.

“You going to be okay?” Lt. Sulu asked him. I noted the tone of concern coloring the Lieutenant’s voice.

“I don’t have a whole lot of choice, do I, Hikaru?” the Captain replied with an unnatural smile. “The Federation wants us to make friends. We’ll make friends.”

“They are amendable to our overtures of friendship,” Lt. Ayers assured him.

“That’s a win at least. I sure don’t want to spend all this time in trees for nothing,” he said. He laughed which sounded forced even to my ears.

“Is Dr. McCoy aware of your aversion to heights, sir?” I asked the Captain. The other two turned to look at me and I felt as though I had said something to which they objected.

“He can’t help it,” Lt. Sulu said quickly, a frown on his face.

“It’s okay, Hikaru. It’s a natural question,” the Captain said to him, laying a hand on his arm. “Bones does know. I can handle it until we beam back up.”

“I had not intended to state that I doubted your ability to fulfill your duty, sir,” I said in explanation.

“I know,” the Captain said with a nod. “I never had a problem with acrophobia until the drill. I’ll get over. Once I don’t have any more nightmares about it.”

“Yeah, they are the worst,” Lt. Sulu agreed, climbing up into a hammock suspended from one of the supporting limbs.

“How is it?” Lt. Ayers asked Lt. Sulu when he lay down.

“Comfortable,” he replied, wrapping the provided coverings around him. “You want the lower?”

“Sure,” she agreed, getting into the one beneath him. “Not bad.”

“Sir?” I said when the Captain and I stood side by side next to the other hammocks. “Do you want me to take the topmost hammock?”

“Do you mind?” he asked.

“Not in the least, sir,” I assured him, climbing up into it. As Lt. Sulu had indicated, it was as comfortable as could be expected.

“Here,” the Captain said, holding out one of the blankets to me.

“Will you not need it, sir?” I asked, already beginning to feel the chill that came with the disappearing sun.

“I won’t need them both,” he assured me. “You need it a lot more than I do.”

“Thank you, sir,” I said as I accepted it. I was uncertain that he would be warm enough but he seemed to have no such reservations and I was grateful for additional warmth the blanket provided.

“Commander?” Lt. Sulu said from his hammock.

“Yes, Lieutenant.”

“Do you want one of my blankets?” he offered.

“That will not be necessary. These will be sufficient.”

“Okay,” the Lieutenant said. I could see him glance at the Captain but could not determine the meaning of the expression on his face.

I detected the Humans falling asleep fairly quickly after they were settled. I meditated until my thoughts were sufficiently calmed for sleep to come.

We awoke the next morning to Mapleheel wishing us happy day and inviting us to breakfast.

“Thank you,” the Captain said as he extracted himself from his hammock. “We will be there momentarily.”

Mapleheel nodded and left us. The three Humans stretched and scrubbed their hands through their hair which did nothing to restore order.

“What I wouldn’t give for a toothbrush,” the Captain said, laughing.

“Yeah. Next time we need to pack a bag,” Lt. Sulu added.

“Definitely,” Lt. Ayers said. “With clean clothes.”

“They’ll probably decide during breakfast, don’t you think?” the Captain asked her.

“That’s what the reports indicate. Breakfast is their main meal. Most important decision are made then,” Lt. Ayers said.

“We’ll have to eat more than we did last night?” Lt. Sulu asked.

“We will,” Lt. Ayers said. “Eat and drink as much as you can. It’s an insult to refuse.”

We all said that we would comply to the best our ability. The Captain approached the suspended bridge, not looking down at it. I stood next to him, matching my steps with his as we crossed. I could feel the tension in his body until we arrived at the samlingsplats. He greeted the elders with a smile and the customary words before we all sat at the tables, every inch of which was covered with food.

There were eight more LövVerkens present at breakfast than had been the evening before. They were all intensely curious, asking multiple questions, often the same inquiry multiple times. The Captain responded each time patiently and expanding on his answers when further questioned. He showed more diplomatic skill than I had previously anticipated and the LövVerkens were impressed by all that he said.

When the meal was entering its third hour, the Captain’s words began to slow down and there was a nearly undetectable slur to them.

“Commander,” Lt. Sulu said to me quietly.

“Yes Lieutenant,” I responded, looking over at him with my undivided attention.

“This red stuff,” the Lieutenant said, indicating his cup that was half full. “I think it’s alcoholic.”

I accepted his cup, cautiously taking a taste. It contained a high level of alcohol although it was heavily disguised by the fruit pulp that was its base.

“The Captain’s had six cups,” Lt. Ayers said. Her voice betrayed some agitation.

“Great,” Lt. Sulu said.

“Sure you can come on over to Earth any ole time,” the Captain was saying when I refocused my attention on him. He was waving his hand, as though attempting to show them the general direction in which his home planet was located. “Take, oh, I don’t know, three or four weeks at warve fipe. Right, Spock? Three, four, maybe five six weeks?”

“It will take 34.23 days at warp five, sir,” I said.

“Yeah. Yeah. That’s right. Spock knows. Spock always knows. He’s bery bery smart,” the Captain told the LövVerkens, tapping his head in demonstration.

“Sir, I would recommend, with the LövVerkens’ permission, that we return to the ship,” I said.

“What’s your hurry there, Spock? Got a plane to catch. Noooo… a starship,” the Captain said, laughing at his own perceived cleverness. “My ship’s going nowhere without me. Us. You. You know. They’re goin’ stay right put till we get back up on board. Scotty’ll make sure. And if they go and leave us, Bones’ll be hoppin mad. He’ll curse a black and blue streak like you haven’t never heard. Make your hair curl. Well, maybe not so much yours. And Marjorie’s is already.”

They appeared to be amused by the Captain’s speech and nodded encouragingly. “Lieutenant?” I asked Ayers.

“I don’t know, sir. They certainly don’t seem offended,” she said.

“I believe that our Captain has enjoyed too much of your delicious körsbär,” I said to the elders.

“He is very happy with us,” Wiseweed said cheerfully, reaching over to give the Captain even more körsbär before I could intervene.

The Captain picked up his cup and saluted those gathered. “I don’t know what’s this is in here but it is some awesome goodly stuff. Prime. You got this in a go-to box we would likely be taking up with us when we go up? Up to our ship. Not down. Down over the railings that are way up too highly. Too too up far. Makes me feel down falling. Down falling isn’t not good. Scary.” He stopped talking long enough to drink from his cup, hiccupping when he had finished it all. After licking his lips, he used his shirt sleeve to wipe the rest of the moisture from his mouth.

“More körsbär?” Wiseweed offered happily.

“That would not be prudent,” I said, standing.

“Don’t be a poopy parter,” the Captain protested, his words even more slurred. “They are bein’ soooo nichely kind. Friendish. We ought need to be so nichely too. You can be nichely when you try,” he said to me, squinting up at me.

“I would like to be nice, sir. But I am concerned for your welfare.”

“My fare is quite well, thank you so bery muchly. Sit. Relax. Drinks. Eating.”

“You may be quite well but I fear Lt. Sulu has taken ill,” I tried. I loathed the idea of lying but the Captain was going to make a mistake eventually and if telling an untruth could prevent an error, it was worth the prevarication.

“What? What’s that you say ‘Pock? Karu’s sick?” the Captain asked, turning to try and focus on the Lieutenant who was doing an admirable job of coughing. “What’s it Karu?”

“I don’t know, sir. It just came on all of the sudden,” the Lieutenant said, coughing again.

“Oh dear no me. We’ve got to be going up now. So so sorry we’ve got to be going up now. Your planet’s pretty. We’ll be friends forever?”

Wiseweed laughed and nodded, looking up at me. “When he’s well, come back.”

“We most certainly will,” I agreed, helping the Captain stand and move to the edge of the bridge.

“Oh no no no, Pock. Too up high,” he said, turning from the edge.

“We will be beamed up in a few minutes, sir,” I assured him. Lt. Sulu moved to his other side, Lt. Ayers standing in front of him to block his view of the empty space.

“It’s okay, Jim,” Sulu said quietly. “We’re right here.”

“You’re already better already?” he asked Sulu, his eyes barely focusing.

“A little,” Sulu said, remembering to cough.

“Oh dear dear dear,” the Captain said, looking over at me. “Tell them I told they better be up hurrying cause Karu’s sick here down. We need upping right away now.”

“They know, sir,” I assured him, contacting Lt. Scott again.

“Another minute, sir,” he said. “We need to make sure we filter all out the foliage.”

“That Cotty?” the Captain asked, reaching for my communicator. “Hiya Cotty. You goin’ up beam us soonly? Cause Karu’s sick and needs upping beam.”

“Momentarily, sir,” Scott responded.

“Please ask Dr. McCoy to meet us in the transporter room,” I requested.

“Certainly, sir,” Scott agreed.

“Yeah yeah,” the Captain said in approval. “Bones’ll make Karu all better like magical. Hope there’s no hypoprays. He lurves pokin me with ‘em. All the time. Pokin pokin pokin. Why’s he doin that to me, Pock? He do it ta you too?”

“Not with any frequency,” I said, relieved when the familiar sensation of the transporter caught us in its beam.

“Fallin fallin,” the Captain said, holding tightly to my arm and closing his eyes.

“We are not falling, Captain. We are back aboard the Enterprise,” I assured him, carefully helping him down the steps.

“Fallin” he repeated, shaking his head.

“You aren’t falling, you infant. Your drunk off your ass,” Dr. McCoy scolded him.

“Oh no. Bones iz in my head, Pock. Yellin.”

“I am not in your head. I’m right here,” Dr. McCoy said, placing his hand gently on the Captain’s shoulder.

“Bones?” the Captain said, barely opening one eye. “What cha doin on the planet? Did ya see the real bigly huge trees they got down here?”

“We’re not on the planet, Jim. We’re on the Enterprise,” McCoy said with surprising patience, his earlier irritation gone now that he fully understood the situation. “We need to get you to your quarters.”

“I’m not so think as you drunk I am,” he told the Doctor in utter sincerity.

“I know you’re not, Jim. Let’s get you to your quarters.”

“I kay. See bout Karu. He was coughin wicked. Hackin up a lung. Or two.”

“Hikaru has already left for sickbay,” McCoy told the Captain. “He’ll be just fine. You don’t need to worry about him.”

“He’ll be just fine?”

“Yes, Jim, as good as new. Come on,” McCoy coaxed.

“Pock needs to coming wif us. He’ll stop the down falling.”

“You are not going…”

“Of course he’ll come,” the Doctor interrupted to say, frowning at me. “He’s coming to your quarters too.”

“To stopping the down fall. He’ll keep it all upping not downing.”

“Absolutely,” McCoy assured the Captain.

“Pock?” the Captain asked, looking over his shoulder to locate me.

“Yes sir?”

“Don’t go way. You stopping downing.”

“I will stop you from falling,” I assured him, taking hold of his free arm. That seemed to steady him and we got him to his quarters with no further interruptions.

Once inside, Dr. McCoy efficiently undressed him and helped him stretch out on his bed, covering him securely.

“Iffn Pock needs my blankets you’ll give em to im, kay? Don’t wan im bein cold. Ask im, kay Bones?” the Captain said into his pillows.

“He’s fine, Jim. He has plenty of his own blankets.”

“He not cold?”

“I am not cold, Captain. I am quite comfortable,” I assured him.

“Pock!” he said in surprise, managing to open one eye to look up at me. “You’re aren’t mad, right?”

“Why would I be angry, sir?” I asked.

“Don’t know. Cause I don like down fallin’.”

“It is understandable,” I replied. Dr. McCoy stood up and gestured me to take his place. Somewhat reluctantly, I sat on the edge of the Captain’s bed and placed one hand on his back. “You are not going to fall. We are both safe and warm. You only need to sleep.”

“Mmmm….seepy,” he agreed, rubbing his cheek on his pillow. “Karu all okay?”

“Hikaru is as good as new,” I told him.

“Good. So I can go nighty night.”

“You should,” I said. “It is what you need.”

“Kay. Tell Bones fanks. He’s always nice to me cept when he’s pokin me in my neck. Ow.”

“The Doctor will not be administering any hyposprays. It is safe for you to sleep.”

“Kay,” he repeated with a sigh and was soon asleep. I slowly stood but as soon as I broke contact, he shifted restlessly.

“Do you mind saying?” Dr. McCoy asked quietly. He had returned to the Captain’s bedside after tidying the quarters of littered clothes. “He’ll sleep better with you here.”

“I have nothing pressing which must be done. We will return to the planet when he is feeling better.”

“Thanks,” McCoy said. “You’ll let me know as soon as he wakes.”

“Of course,” I agreed, watching the Doctor leave before returning my gaze to the peacefully sleeping Captain.