Robert Greenberger wrote Around the Clock, issue 27 of DC Comics’ ongoing Star Trek title. It was on comic spinners for June of 1986. Tom Sutton continues to deliver pencils, with Ricardo Villagran delivering inks. Mike Barr served as a guest editor, perhaps making sure the story fell in line with canon, or perhaps just answering Trek trivia as needed.
From the cover and the title, it feels like it may try to be a slice-of-life tale.
Stardate: 8988.3
The splash page sees Kirk’s arrival on the Excelsior bridge his log reminds us of happenings over the past couple of issues, as well as his craving for adventure, instead of just a regular day. Sigh. It’s amazing that travelling on a starship through space at warp speeds constitutes just another day…
There’s some friendly banter among the crew, Uhura, Sulu and Chekov, as they settle into their roles for the day. Sulu is preparing a fencing demo for the non-coms, and Chekov and Kirk are brewing up readiness drills.
Sulu also ruminates about getting his own command, afraid that whatever ship he was going to get has been reassigned. But yay, saved Spock and everything. The arrival of an astrophysics officer, Lt. Maria Morelli seems to knock the helmsman out of things, and Kirk notes there may be some sparks between the physicist and the helmsman.
Chekov and his security team toss around ideas for alerts, and seize on programming the computers to simulate the attacks. They’ll set themselves up in Aux Control, and run things from there.
Saavik and Kirk discuss the mapping mission, and the ion storm that is interfering with it. Kirk wonders if it will affect the transwarp engines as well. Scotty assures them it will be fine, and in he quotes Trek III Kirk back to him, while Kirk calls back to a couple of issues from when he wonders when lunch is.
As Chekov and his team install their programming, Kirk and Saavik prepare for lunch. Kirk recommends Saavik take in the fencing demo, and even mentions Sulu’s love of botany. He then pops into Sickbay and grabs McCoy, mid ‘argument’ with four ‘spirited’ ladies, to join him.
Saavik is looking for somewhere to eat as Sulu and Morelli continue to get to know each other, and Sulu makes reference to Keiko from previous issues. She settles and joins Kirk and McCoy (who is talking about making bets). She has questions about human mating customs; when McCoy mentions chemistry, things get odd, so Kirk redirects and asks about Xon, who is apparently back at Starfleet.
On the bridge, Bryce arrives, greeting Konom, and saying she’s feeling much better following her recovery from the Redjac possession. Konom detects something in the ion storm: three ships… just sitting there?
Sulu is conducting his fencing demonstration, and Uhura makes a snide remark about Psi 2000. I do like the canon references. Morelli watches Sulu, and Saavik watches Morelli, trying to understand the human chemistry in romantic relationships.
Before Sulu can show off too much, a red alert is called, and everyone must report to battle stations.
Kirk and all of our regulars take their places on the bridge. They work to figure out what the alien ships are and what manner of threat, if any, they pose. Is it Chekov’s readiness test?
I’m leaning towards yes, as the starships look very much like the hammer and sickle, symbolizing the USSR. Kirk seems to clue into all of it, and has Aux Control gassed. Chekov wakes up in Sickbay, with Kirk preparing to chastise him for his actions. That doesn’t seem fair, as Chekov only did exactly what Kirk wanted.
He asks Chekov to continue running the drills.
Meanwhile, Sulu and Morelli continue their blossoming romance, and Saavik attempts to understand it. She wanders and ends up near Scotty’s office/workshop. The pair chat. I quite like the friendship we’ve seen develop between the two of them in the comics.
She reveals that she’s lonely and doesn’t understand the way humans go about their romances. Scotty reminds her that despite the Vulcan philosophy of IDIC they insist on arranged marriages. Logical, perhaps, but lacking possibilities. Scotty shares some of his heartaches, as the two continue to bond.
Uhura goes to check in on Chekov. After she plays him to sleep with a lullaby, she encounters Saavik, they talk about their friends, Uhura’s Vulcan lyre, and the two sing together in Uhura’s quarters.
It’s a nice quiet issue as friendships are checked in on, and I quite like the day-in-the-life nature of the story. The issue ends with another readiness drill, and some new friendships forged.
The Excelsior and its crew will continue to boldly go with another story by Diane Duane, The Last Word. The Human Adventure continues…
