Black Fire by Sonni Cooper Page A

below. The engineering console screen was showing an energy-flow diagram. He stepped down into the lower section and checked the navigation station. He swiveled the chair in the helmsman's position and watched it spin with ease.
    Smiling, he sat down in the familiar command position. The chair cushion gave way to his weight. It was more fully padded, feeling subtly different. A twinge of anxiety went through him. It
felt
different, this
Enterprise
. He had studied the design modifications: All of the plans and specifications were firmly embedded in his mind. They were planning even more drastic changes in the future. It made him feel vaguely uncomfortable.
    He stretched his feet in front of him, trying to relax. Automatically reaching for the switch to record his log, his finger missed the button: different. He readjusted, and flipped the switch.
    "Captain's log, Stardate 6205.7, James T. Kirk, Captain. I have returned to my ship."
    But it was different!
    He threw the switch to engage the darkened view-screen. A view of Starbase 12 flashed on. Kirk swiveled his chair and glanced at the communications and science stations. The instrument panels were now gray. He rose from his chair, heading for the turbolift, but stopped short at the doors; they were no longer red—gray had replaced the familiar color. He felt somewhat unnerved.
    Back in his quarters again, he stripped off the T-shirt and lay back on the bed. He switched on the library console, selected the specifications for the bridge, and studied the changes, trying to reconcile himself to the differences. He never thought of himself as rigid. In fact, it was necessary for a starship captain to be open to new situations and flexible in his approach to rapid, unexpected change. Kirk was annoyed with himself.
Why am I so ill at ease? A new paint job shouldn't make me jittery. Something's wrong—I can feel it
. He stripped, programmed the computer to awaken him early, began reading, and fell into a restless sleep.
    "O-six-hundred, Captain James T. Kirk, wake-up call," the computer's voice droned over and over again.
    "I hear you!" Kirk grumbled at the machine. Then he paused, frowning. "Computer, what time is it?"
    "O-six-hundred hours and thirty seconds," the computer answered immediately in a pleasant male voice.
    Kirk shook the cobwebs out of his head.
I'll be damned! They even changed the voice on the computer! Wonder what Spock will think of that?
The thought of his first officer and friend reassured Kirk and caused him to smile. He was anticipating the reunion with all of his officers, but particularly Spock. If nothing else, Spock's presence would render all the disturbing changes insignificant.
    The buzzer sounded. "Sir, Yeoman Helman with your uniforms."
    "Just a minute, Yeoman." He slipped on a robe and pressed the door release. The new yeoman entered tentatively. "Come on in. I won't bite you."
    "Yes, sir," she responded, unconvinced. "This is my first assignment, sir."
    "Imagine that!" he said, amused by her bewilderment. "Don't you think you should hang those things up, Yeoman, ah …?"
    "Helman, sir. Yes, sir …"
    The new uniform was gray; the new issue had occurred while he was recovering. He frowned, put it on, and looked in the mirror. It was surprisingly flattering. "Not bad!" he commented, "another new thing to get used to."
    Now officially uniformed, the captain of the
Enterprise
walked through the corridor to the turbolift. He was tempted to go to the transporter room to greet his returning officers but resisted the urge, deciding instead to monitor the crew's return from the bridge. "There'll be lots of time to catch up," he told himself. He hadn't seen most of his officers at all during his recovery and rest period. He assumed that, like him, they had decided to make the interval after the explosion as completely restorative as possible, trying to avoid episodes of needless rehashing of the ghastly experience they had all