CAPTAIN KIRK HAS JUST MADE THE ANNOUNCEMENT THAT, SINCE THEIR NEXT MISSION WILL REQUIRE ALMOST ALL THE CREW TO BE PUT IN SUSPENDED ANIMATION, EACH CREW MEMBER WHO MUST LIVE THAT WAY HAS A CHOICE OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES UNDER WHICH THEY ARE SUSPENDED.

Mr. Spock, I believe that you are one of those lucky crew members who get to stay awake for the next six years while we travel to the Vega-10 galaxy.

SPOCK LOOKS RELIEVED.

Captain, I do appreciate the fact that I do not have to have my animation suspended, but how about you?

I have been marked as someone who must be suspended for the whole journey. I think they suspend the crew members who are important.

So, in that case, why am I not being suspended?

Could be an error in Starfleet's part. I better check.

(to Uhura)

Lt. Uhura, get me Bill at Starfleet.

Right away, Captain.

(back to Spock)

By the way, Spock, what part of ending up about six years older than the rest of the crew didn't you like?

It was not that I'd have to stay awake for an extra six years, but it was that I thought I was an important crew member, too.

Captain, I've got Bill from Starfleet on line 2.

(connecting to call)

Bill? How are you? The Family well?

Oh, they were vaporized a decade ago?

Sorry to hear that.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes, still wear a size 34 uniform.

(smiling)

Well,.... I try.

Listen, Bill. We got the order to take the ship to the Vega-10 galaxy and to put everyone who is important into suspended aniation. I was very shocked when Mr. Spock, the second in command, was not included in that list.

Yes.

Yes. He is a Vulcan.

I see.

OK, thanks, Bill.

(to Spock)

Mr. Spock, it seems that your record is not as spotless and as exemplary as I thought. Seems you got into a fracus a couple of years ago on Gamma-2. Care to confess now?

Captain, that was not my fault! Those cretins who were supposed to be entertaining me, a Starship's second in command, tried to take my credentials and wallet. They left me no choice but to give them the shoulder pinch thing. You know.

Bill says the record says you also pulled one of the men's head clean off.

Yes, that also happened.

Spock, did you think you would get away with that?

I would have if the man wasn't the brother-in-law of a Starfleet muckity-muck.

(looking confused)

Spock, this is so unlike you, as a cool-headed Vulcan work of logic!

Well, anyway, I still don't know why I cannot be reclassified as important and someone who is to be suspensed, like you are going to be.

I don't make the rules, Mr. Spock.

Now, pardon me while I slip into something more comfortable for my six-year snooze.

(to himself)

I wonder how many suspended crew member heads would need to be removed in order to shift the center of gravity of this vessel and cause the long journey to end up instead in some place like, oh, say Hades?

I'm sorry, what was that?