snowynight

Title: Who Mourns for Adonais
Fandom: Star Trek: the Original Series 
Rating: G 
Length: 612
Author notes: also for gen_bingo prompt: society and culture
Summary: After the Enterprise’s encounter with Apollo, Jim and Spock discuss the implication of the mission over the chessboard.Episode tag to the s2e2 episode "Who Mourns for Adonais"
 

When Spock played chess with Jim that night, Jim kept looking away from the board and repeatedly missed better moves at his turn. When Spock won the game, he asked, “You are distracted. Are you still thinking about the last mission? ”

“Yes, I guess my mind isn't on the board tonight, sorry, ” Jim pulled over his king. “Even though Apollo is a spoiled jerk, I can't help feeling sorry about him, ” He took a sip from his glass of wine and put it down.

“I find Greek mythology interesting. The deities are petty, jealous, proud and vain, and it is a bad news for the mortals to catch their attention, ” Spock said, filling Jim’s glass.

Jim picked up a piece and idly rubbed it with his fingers. “True. Some said the ancient Greeks were inspired by the sea, which was fickle and unpredictable, but apparently they had a real life model to work on.” Then he put it back to its original place. “The ancient Egyptians believed in a pantheon of gods who devoured thousands and used the evil’s organs to make wine. The Mayan people sacrificed the living to keep the world running. Come to think of it, our mythologies are really scary. ”

Spock steepled his hands. “Terran mythology shares a common thread. Mortals must not cross the lines between them and deities, and the punishment for trespass is swift and excessively cruel. ”

“The Tower of Babel, Arachne… I think you're right. We believe in something more powerful than us, but we shouldn't aspire to be like them. In a way gods are just another kind of jealous monsters. Thou shalt not have other gods but me. ” Jim rubbed his hands. “What about Vulcan? Do your people have any mythology? ”

Spock said, “The Pre-Reform mythology is a complicated subject, as it is a rich oral tradition, which develops and changes over thousands of years. In one of the popular myth, our sun Nevasa loved her sisters so much that she locked them in an embrace, and people were dying of the heat, so they shot arrows and lirpas to the sky to force her to let them go. Their blood painted our planet red and Nevasa turned away from us, but our people survived. Interestingly despite no advanced astronomy knowledge, this myth predicted the discovery of the sister suns in the Vulcan star system, although they are invisible to naked eyes. ”

“The need of many outweighs the need of one, ” Jim commented, “Very Vulcan. ”

Spock raised an eyebrow. “I have not heard of this myth interpreted in this light. Very human . ”

“Glad to serve,” Jim smiled, “But I think there is a truth in the mythology. When we lose sight of what we are and think we are beyond our fellow human beings, we become monsters and this is a line we shouldn't cross. ” He stiffened his lips when recalling Mitchell, who was forever lost to the madness and the sacrifice of people to keep the ship safe, and sipped from his drink.

“Our fellow beings are already enough. In the case of the doctor, it can be too much at a time, ” Spock said, brushing his hand over Jim’s.

Jim’s heart lightened and he smiled back. Spock's friendship and support was one main constant in their mission, and he was grateful. “I know you both enjoy your arguments. Don't think you can get this over me. ”

Spock only raised an eyebrow and Jim laughed, raising his glass. “To our fellow beings. ”

Spock raised his glass in response and asked, “Rematch? ”

“Of course. This time you will find me hard to beat, ” Jim said, setting the board and started another game.