"I'll begin uploading these right away." Chapel reaches for the stack of memory tapes. "I should be done by the time you bring back our lunch trays."
McCoy hands her the last tape from his pocket. "It'll be nice to have a quiet me-whoops, I spoke too soon."
Spock stands in the doorway, posture erect.
"Well, don't just stand there gawking. By all means, come in. I was just saying to Christine here that I was hoping you'd pay us a vis-"
Chapel places a hand on his arm. "Hush. Can we do something for you, Mr. Spock?"
The Vulcan nods. "I require some...advice."
McCoy opens his mouth, then closes it again, and inclines his head, waiting .
A pause. Christine picks up the stacks of memory tapes. "Well, I have a lot of work to do. Why don't you and the doctor discuss this over lunch?"
Spock holds up a hand. "I value both of your opinions of this...unusual offer."
He tilts his head to the side. "I have received a request from the Vulcan Science Academy, regarding their interest in acquiring a unique...neurological specimen."
McCoy snorts. "Hit you up for money, did they?"
"Not...precisely. Though their request does require my personal involvement." Spock swallows. "To be blunt, Doctor, they have asked me to consider donating my...brain for research."
Chapel's jaw drops. "Your...brain?" She laughs, incredulously. "They're not asking for much, are they?"
McCoy crosses his arms over his chest. "Well, at least they asked first."
"Leonard!" Chapel swats his arm.
"What?" McCoy shrugs. "Somebody had to say it."
Spock purses his lips. "While I do appreciate their courtesy in seeking my permission, and waiting for my death to procure their...sample, I find the prospect of such a bequest...troubling."
Chapel nods. "I can imagine. What a thing to ask! Although...I suppose it's a great honor. Not...everyone has a brain worth fighting over." She smiles.
Spock nods. "I believe it has more to do with my Human ancestry than any intellectual superiority I may or may not possess." He clears his throat. "Be that as it may...Dr. McCoy is...partially correct. My reticence does stem from my earlier experience on Sigma Draconis VI."
Spock swallows. "Having my cerebral matter re-located once already has made me loath to part with it a second time. It is most illogical. If I am dead, my brain will serve no continued purpose. It will merely return to dust." A pause. "However, were I to donate it to science, much good might yet be accomplished. And yet..." Spock flexes his fingers. "I find the idea...unnerving."
McCoy chuckles. "Ironic."
"What is, Doctor?"
"The same Human qualities you fight so hard to suppress are the very ones that prompted them to ask for your brain in the first place. But, they're also why you don't want to give it up."
Spock looks down. "Yes. I realize I am being what you would term, "silly"."
Chapel smiles at Spock. "No. Not silly. Honest. Frankly, I don't want my brain sitting in a jar on some dusty old shelf at Starfleet Medical when I die, either."
Spock's shoulders relax."What do you think I should do?"
The question hangs in the air.
McCoy extends a hand towards Spock. "What I think you should do is tell those pointy-eared carrion birds that if they want your brain, they'll have to come and get it."
"I highly doubt that would happen. I do not plan on dying any time soon." He straightens. "Thank you for your advice. I believe it would be best to compose a letter indicating my desire to discuss the matter another time."
He clears his throat. "I shall, however, neglect to specify when."
Spock exits.
Chapel crosses her arms. "Well, that was...interesting. So...lunch?"
McCoy shakes his head. "You go. I think I've had my fill already...of food for thought, that is."
McCoy hands her the last tape from his pocket. "It'll be nice to have a quiet me-whoops, I spoke too soon."
Spock stands in the doorway, posture erect.
"Well, don't just stand there gawking. By all means, come in. I was just saying to Christine here that I was hoping you'd pay us a vis-"
Chapel places a hand on his arm. "Hush. Can we do something for you, Mr. Spock?"
The Vulcan nods. "I require some...advice."
McCoy opens his mouth, then closes it again, and inclines his head, waiting .
A pause. Christine picks up the stacks of memory tapes. "Well, I have a lot of work to do. Why don't you and the doctor discuss this over lunch?"
Spock holds up a hand. "I value both of your opinions of this...unusual offer."
He tilts his head to the side. "I have received a request from the Vulcan Science Academy, regarding their interest in acquiring a unique...neurological specimen."
McCoy snorts. "Hit you up for money, did they?"
"Not...precisely. Though their request does require my personal involvement." Spock swallows. "To be blunt, Doctor, they have asked me to consider donating my...brain for research."
Chapel's jaw drops. "Your...brain?" She laughs, incredulously. "They're not asking for much, are they?"
McCoy crosses his arms over his chest. "Well, at least they asked first."
"Leonard!" Chapel swats his arm.
"What?" McCoy shrugs. "Somebody had to say it."
Spock purses his lips. "While I do appreciate their courtesy in seeking my permission, and waiting for my death to procure their...sample, I find the prospect of such a bequest...troubling."
Chapel nods. "I can imagine. What a thing to ask! Although...I suppose it's a great honor. Not...everyone has a brain worth fighting over." She smiles.
Spock nods. "I believe it has more to do with my Human ancestry than any intellectual superiority I may or may not possess." He clears his throat. "Be that as it may...Dr. McCoy is...partially correct. My reticence does stem from my earlier experience on Sigma Draconis VI."
Spock swallows. "Having my cerebral matter re-located once already has made me loath to part with it a second time. It is most illogical. If I am dead, my brain will serve no continued purpose. It will merely return to dust." A pause. "However, were I to donate it to science, much good might yet be accomplished. And yet..." Spock flexes his fingers. "I find the idea...unnerving."
McCoy chuckles. "Ironic."
"What is, Doctor?"
"The same Human qualities you fight so hard to suppress are the very ones that prompted them to ask for your brain in the first place. But, they're also why you don't want to give it up."
Spock looks down. "Yes. I realize I am being what you would term, "silly"."
Chapel smiles at Spock. "No. Not silly. Honest. Frankly, I don't want my brain sitting in a jar on some dusty old shelf at Starfleet Medical when I die, either."
Spock's shoulders relax."What do you think I should do?"
The question hangs in the air.
McCoy extends a hand towards Spock. "What I think you should do is tell those pointy-eared carrion birds that if they want your brain, they'll have to come and get it."
"I highly doubt that would happen. I do not plan on dying any time soon." He straightens. "Thank you for your advice. I believe it would be best to compose a letter indicating my desire to discuss the matter another time."
He clears his throat. "I shall, however, neglect to specify when."
Spock exits.
Chapel crosses her arms. "Well, that was...interesting. So...lunch?"
McCoy shakes his head. "You go. I think I've had my fill already...of food for thought, that is."
