Cousin Charlie (Part 3)
Charlie's eyes followed Spock as he walked out of the conference room. A part of him was angry at Spock and part of him was angry at himself. Why was a part of him still seeking his cousin's approval? Hadn't he learned from his cousin's past actions that he really did not want anything to do with him? Why couldn't Spock just accept him as he was? They weren't children anymore!
He bought his attention back to the captain and the doctor hoping that they weren't upset by the display he and Spock had just put on. For a moment Charlie had forgotten they were even there, and a part of him was embarrassed by their behavior. Kirk and the doctor appeared to be having a private conversation of their own.
He was sure that they had been discussing the interaction they saw between him and Spock. He didn't mean to air the family laundry in front of complete strangers! Spock was slipping. Such a display was so unlike him. The thought of it make Charlie grin. He knew that he could still get under Spock's tough Vulcan skin.
"Well captain" Charlie said facing them "I am sorry that you had to witness our family dysfunction first hand." The captain and Dr. McCoy stopped talking and looked up at him. They noted that his face was grim making him and Spock practically mirror images of one another.
"Don't worry about it Charlie" the captain said. "All of our families are dysfunctional to a point. Just give him time."
"Dammit Jim!" Bones responded "He acted like he didn't even recognize his own flesh and blood!"
"Oh he recognized me, doctor." Charlie said. "Not at first perhaps...but when I said that I was Charlie, his eyes gave him away."
Bones looked a Jim. "I know I could use a drink. What about you, Charlie."
Charlie's trademark smile returned. "That would be wonderful."
"Well gentlemen" Kirk said looking at them. "Shall we proceed to my quarters and then Charlie we will discuss your situation with Spock and come up with ways to travel down the road of reconciliation?"
Charlie laughed. "Ah captain, I see you are an optimist through and through."
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Spock did not return to the bridge, but decided to return to his quarters to meditate.
Seeing his cousin Charles had totally disturbed him. Why was he here? Did he hope to embarrass him somehow?
Spock had carefully built his reputation among the crew of the Enterprise. He wasn't about to let Charles tear that down.
It bothered him that people were always commenting on how much they looked alike. He didn't think they looked that much alike. He was a Vulcan. Charles was human. To acknowledge such a thing would mean that he appeared to be more human than Vulcan and that thought just was not acceptable to him.
On Vulcan he was constantly told that he had 'human' eyes. He felt that his eyes weren't different from those of his father's or his people.
Spock tried to focus as he put on his robe and sat on the floor of his quarters and closed his eyes.
His mind went back to his childhood visits to earth. Those visits were few because he felt totally out of place then. Charles being four years younger had become fascinated with his ears which irritated him to no end. It was very difficult for him to control his emotions when he was around Charles and that bothered him. Trying to maintain his stoic expression while Charles talked continuously wore on his nerves. The fact that the youngster was unable to stay still for longer than a few moments didn't help matters either.
Still he recognized that his cousin looked up to him and Spock tried to be patient with him.
When Charles was fourteen and word had reached Vulcan that he was a genius, his father Sarek had invited Charles to Vulcan to visit the Science Academy during his summer break. It turned out to be a total disaster. Charles could not adapt.
Being a touchy-feely type of person, Charles could not understand why Vulcan's were so standoffish as he called it. Spock recalled how his face fell when Sarek tried to explain the culture of Vulcan to Charles.
"You're half human, how can you stand it?" Charles had asked him after the talk with his father. "I mean all this don't touch, don't ask, don't show emotion...your people are worse than dead!"
Spock had tried not to be offended by his cousin's comments, but he was and Charles had a hard time focusing, but even with that problem he did well at the Academy and Spock realized that if Charles had just been able to adjust, he would have done even better. He knew that Charles was gifted. If only he could focus, Spock knew that he could go far.
When he had heard from his mother about Charlie's decision not to pursue his education after he had finished college at the age of sixteen, Spock was disturbed. When his mother told him a year later that Charles was pursuing a career as a musician in a band, Spock was livid. In fact, he wouldn't have believed it if his mother had not received a copy of the transmission from her brother which contained an article entitled 'Genius in a rock band.'
Since he had made an impression at the Academy when he was on Vulcan, copies of the transmission had traveled around the campus among the faculty and students and Charles Grayson became a hot topic among Spock's peers much to his chagrin. He was glad that by the time all that was going on, he was at Starfleet Academy.
Still, Sarek had to face his peers and the fact that Spock and Charles looked so much alike was also a fact that was constantly being pointed out. Thinking back on how he was treated for being half human, Spock felt that Charles' failure only validated his people's belief that maybe he too would stray from his Vulcan upbringing and become a Vulcan without logic.
Spock was determined to center himself and he hoped that Charles would stay out of his way as long as he was on the Enterprise.
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Charlie sipped his drink with the captain and Dr. McCoy.
"I appreciate your hospitality, gentlemen" he said looking at them. "However I don't want to keep you from your duties."
Kirk smiled "No problem, Charlie. Dr. McCoy will escort you to your quarters and I'll return to the bridge"
He put his glass away. "We can meet for dinner at 1900 if you'd like. I'll let Spock know."
"I doubt if he wants to have dinner with me captain." Charlie said stretching. "I don't believe you should push the issue."
"What's the problem with you and Spock" Bones said as they exited the captain's quarters.
Charlie immediately lost his trademark smile. "All my life I've been told what a genius I am. When I was a child, I just soaked everything up. Learning was easy for me. I had no problem retaining knowledge. I finished high school at twelve and college at fifteen."
"Well that was great!" Kirk said. "You must have had a sense of accomplishment."
"Great for who?" Charlie said. "I was a freak. Being a little kid in class with students six years older than you was no picnic. I'm not going to begin to tell you about that. Then when I went to Vulcan, it was ten times worse.
I was a freak there too. No smiling! No touching! No asking personal questions! Logic! Logic! Logic! Ugh!"
"My sentiments exactly" Bones said laughing.
Charlie smiled. "Yeah. After what happened on Vulcan, I decided that enough was enough. I played guitar as well as sax and I got a gig at a club after I returned from Vulcan and I was hooked. I knew I had found my nitch."
"How did your family take it?" Kirk asked as they stood outside of the lift.
No one had pushed the button as they were totally engrossed in their conversation.
"They were shocked, but when they saw I was determined they let it be. My father told me that as long as I was able to support myself, that was all that mattered. I was good. I had no problem making money. Even Aunt Amanda was supportive. It was only Spock and Sarek who stopped speaking to me. I guess I became an embarrassment to them."
His face suddenly took on a sad expression. "But, I can't help how he feels."
He looked at Dr. McCoy. "Alright, doc. Lead the way. I think I'll check on the others and see how they are settling in."
McCoy knew that Charlie was saying that so that they could drop the subject. He could not believe that Spock would disown his cousin for something so simple as a career choice. Then again, this was Spock.
"Jim, I'll walk Charlie to his quarters and I'll come to the bridge afterwards.
"Sure Bones" Kirk said walking on the lift. "I'll see you at dinner, Charlie."
Charlie saluted with his trademark smile. Bones turned and walked down the hall. "C'mon Charlie"
Charlie quickly caught up to him and they walked the rest of the way in silence. Bones looked at Charlie out of the corner of his eye. He knew that he was hurt behind Spock's behavior and he made up his mind that he was going to do his best to get that greenblooded hobgoblin to see the light!
