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Of course it wasn't his ship, despite the fact that it bore the same name. It was too flashy and too bright, too modern, and far too spacey. Why did they need so much room anyway? And so many people running around ... one could easily get confused. But it was also nice to see so many young and bright people, working on one mission, the mission that had shaped his life as well: To explore and boldly go where no man had gone before.
He chuckled, remembering Jim saying those words, his face all serious and filled with determination. Jim had believed those words. And if there had been times when he had just wanted to quit, to get off this bloody tin-can, than it had been enough to look at Jim, and to know that he believed in the importance and rightness of their mission. Jim's belief had carried him through many dark days, and it still did, even though Jim was dead, and had been for years.
He watched the ship slowly getting smaller, slowly disappearing. The humming of the shuttle surrounded him, far safer than one of those damned transporters. And he really had wanted to see her, like this, majestic and ready for new adventures.
He felt something wet on his cheek, and reached up to wipe it away - it wouldn't do that those young ensigns saw him crying. But really, who could blame him? Jim would be so proud if he saw this ship, this newly commissioned Enterprise. It was magnificent and beautiful, and even though they had changed the design, so that the old girl looked quite different, she still was the Enterprise. Her humming had welcomed him, like an old friend, and as he had walked through her he had felt the same excitement, the same wonder and fascination.
And now that he flew away from her, he felt the same humility he had always felt when he saw her from space. When she just sat there, waiting, between millions of stares and the vast darkness.
She hadn't failed him, in all those years ... and he still remembered the day when they had to leave her, for good, to take on new assignments. And after that his life hadn't been bad, but his years on this ship had been the best years of his life. Of course it had been dangerous, and annoying, and he had been constantly afraid for the life of his friends and his own. His friends … his family, really. They all had been his family. How much he missed them, wanted to be with them again, young and full of hope and excitement. To beam aboard this ship and fly off. To travel among the stars, to discover new planets and new civilisations. The universe had grown smaller and smaller over the years, but there still was so much more out there. He yearned to go back to the ship, to take control and just fly away.
But his bones were brittle, his whole body was held together by implants and technical pieces only. He wouldn't go on new adventures. And really, there was no need. His family was on earth,his beloved Joanna, and her children, and theirs. They were all waiting for him to come back, and he missed them, missed them with every breath. So maybe he was 136 years old, maybe he really was too old to go off in a starship, and to explore the universe - but he wasn't ready yet to take the final journey either. There were still so many people he loved, so many friends, even though he saw them not often enough. But every time he did it was a blast. And his family back in Georgia ... really, he had so much to hold onto. And yet, just for a moment, he dreamed to leave it all behind again, to return to the loveliest lady he had ever met. But then he sighed deeply and gave her a last wave as she disappeared behind the USS Hood.
An ensign escorted him to his quarters and he sat down, exhausted and tired by the trip. On the bottom of his bag he found the holopicture, and activated it eagerly. There they were, young and unscathed by all the bad things they would battle. He was crying again, but this time he let the tears flow freely. Jim was grinning at him, sitting on his chair, blond hair and a lean body. Although, if you looked closely you could already see the outlines of his tummy. On his left side Spock, serene and serious as always, his eyebrows slightly raised. Behind him Uhura, beaming at the camera, her hair put up in one of those complicated hairdos the women used to wear back then. Chekov and Sulu, standing side by side, chuckling about a private joke. And Scotty, radiating so much pride and love. In the background stood Chapel, a soft smile on her face, gazing at Spock.
And finally he himself stood on Jim's right side, back straight and face serious. It was likely that he was annoyed by something Spock had just said - that's probably why Jim was laughing. He couldn't remember posing for this picture, but it must have been right at the start of their journey to the stars. He smiled at the picture, and then turned it off. Out of the window he could still see a tiny part of the Enterprise, and he leaned back, his eyes fixed on her, remembering.
Eventually his stomach protested and he got up to get something to eat. It was time for him to get back to earth. He had never been the sentimental type anyway, and even though it had been nice to visit his past, he was ready to go back to his life. After all, just two months ago his oldest granddaughter had given birth to a daughter herself, little Alesya, and he couldn't wait to hold her in his arms again and see her smile.