[ID] A Star Trek fan comic shows Kirk and Spock playing chess, and close ups on their eyes. The caption reads “Life, like chess, is a sort of dance…” And there is a close-up on Kirk’s hand, moving a chess piece. In the next panel, he is looking to the side and smirking as he says “Checkmate, Spock.” In the next panel, Kirk and Spock are standing in an alien ballroom, and Kirk extends a hand to Spock, who has his hands behind his back. Text reads “… A series of carefully-planned misstepps and stumbles,” and there is a close-up of Spock reaching out to take his hand. The next panel shows a purple background, where Kirk is coughing in the middle of a plume of smoke, and a red explosion behind him. Comic script reads “BANG!” in all-caps. A text box reads “After all, they say walking is just a series of controlled falls.” There is a close up of Spock looking concerned, as his hair is blown about by the explosion. In the next frame, he is supporting an injured Kirk, whose shirt sleeve has been ripped off. There are several gashes on his forearm, and the skin behind it looks burned. Kirk is touching his forehead with a hand and looks dazed, and his eyes are closed. There are more marks and scratches on the left side of his face (the viewer’s right), and a cut on his lip. The next panel shows him waking up in a hospital bed to realise that Spock is at his side, and he’s fallen asleep in a chair. He has a blanket wrapped around him. There are plants in the background and a large window looks out onto space. In the next panel, Kirk looks up. He has deep bags under his eyes, and he says “what do you want, Spock?” There’s a close up on Spock’s eyes as he replies “I do not know.” Then, the next panel cuts to him looking away, and pursing his lips as he looks pensive. A text box reads “But, he does.”
The second page opens with a shot of Kirk and Spock facing each other across the engine room, making intense eye contact. The warp drive is behind them, glowing warmly, and several textboxes read: “There are countless ways to mishear one another in life, but particularly on a starship. Misinterpretations… the hum of the engines can follow you anywhere. Even when you’re not aware of it, it’s there. In the background. Unspoken.” These are interspersed with images of Kirk and Spock’s eyes darting around as they try not to make eye contact with one another. The next panel shows Spock waking up in bed. The caption reads: “How Spock came to be curled up in The Captain’s bed, I’m sure you can guess.” It then shows an image of Kirk asleep on his side, with his hand curled up next to his head. Caption reads: “Perhaps there was a certain logic to it… Perhaps there wasn’t. And that’s why he felt the urge to go.” The next image shows Spock wearing pyjama bottoms with little pictures of the Enterprise on them, climbing out of bed. The next image shows a Vulcan Harp being packed into a harp case by Spock’s hands. The caption reads: “Before Spock departs for Gol, there is one perculiarity in Jim’s… Closing statement.” Spock tugs up his sleeves, and the next image shows a door hissing open, accompanied by a loud hiss, stylised onomatopoeically as “TSCHHHHT!” Outside the door, Spock hesitates, and closes his eyes for a moment. The caption reads “He doesn’t plan to return.” Then, the next image shows Spock sitting in bed in The Motion Picture, and giving Kirk the side-eye. The caption reads “But Life, like chess” [/text] and shows an image of Kirk and Spock kissing over a chess table, “Has a certain pattern to it.” The final panel shows Spock walking through a doorway wearing his black robes from TMP, as he clasps hands with Kirk. A watermark at the bottom of the page reads Marlinspirkhall 2021. [/End ID]
