“Friendship arises out of mere Companionship when two or more of the companions discover that they have in common some insight or interest or even taste which the others do not share and which, till that moment, each believed to be his own unique treasure (or burden). The typical expression of opening Friendship would be something like, “What? You too? I thought I was the only one.”
We can imagine that among those early hunters and warriors single individuals — one in a century? one in a thousand years? — saw what others did not; saw that the deer was beautiful as well as edible, that hunting was fun as well as necessary, dreamed that his gods might be not only powerful but holy.
But as long as each of these percipient persons dies without finding a kindred soul, nothing (I suspect) will come of it; art or sport or spiritual religion will not be born. It is when two such persons discover one another, when, whether with immense difficulties and semi-articulate fumblings or with what would seem to us amazing and elliptical speed, they share their vision — it is then that Friendship is born.
And instantly they stand together in an immense solitude. Lovers seek for privacy. Friends find this solitude about them, this barrier between them and the herd, whether they want it or not. They would be glad to reduce it. The first two would be glad to find a third. In our own time Friendship arises in the same way. For us of course the shared activity and therefore the companionship on which Friendship supervenes will not often be a bodily one like hunting or fighting.
It may be a common religion, common studies, a common profession, even a common recreation. All who share it will be our companions; but one or two or three who share something more will be our Friends. In this kind of love, as Emerson said, Do you love me? means Do you see the same truth? — Or at least, “Do you care about the same truth?”
The Man who agrees with us that some question, little regarded by others, is of great importance, can be our Friend. He need not agree with us about The Answer.
Notice that Friendship thus repeats on a more individual and less socially necessary level the character of the Companionship which was its matrix. The Companionship was between people who were doing something together—hunting, studying, painting or what you will. The Friends will still be doing something together, but something more inward, less widely shared and less easily defined; still hunters, but of some immaterial quarry; still collaborating, but in some work the world does not, or not yet, take account of; still travelling companions, but on a different kind of journey. Hence we picture lovers face to face but Friends side by side; their eyes look ahead.
That is why those pathetic people who simply “want friends” can never make any. The very condition of having Friends is can arise — though Affection of course may. There would be nothing for the Friendship to be about; and Friendship must be about something, even if it were only an enthusiasm for dominoes or white mice.
Those who have nothing can share nothing;
those who are going nowhere can have no fellow-travellers.
UHURA:
Captain, Starfleet reports our last six crewmembers are ready to beam up -
...but one of them is refusing to step into the transporter.
KIRK:
Oh? I'll see that he beams up!
...Transporter room.
[Enterprise transporter room]
KIRK:
Ellen.
ELLEN:
Yes sir.
KIRK:
What was the problem down there?
ELLEN:
He insisted we go first, sir.
Said something about first seeing how it scrambled our molecules.
KIRK:
That has a familiar ring, doesn't it?
Starfleet, this is Captain Kirk [NO IT ISN'T.].
Beam that officer up now!
IN ANTICIPATION OF THE SIGHT OF HIS OLD FRIEND, REAR-ADMIRAL JAMES T. KIRK HAS FORGOTTEN HIMSELF
...Well, for a man who swore he'd never return to Starfleet.
McCOY:
Just a moment, Captain, sir. I'll explain what happened.
Your revered Admiral Nogura invoked a little known, and seldom used, reserve activation clause...
...in simpler language, Captain, they drafted me!
BONES HAS NOT NOTICED/DOES NOT CARE THAT JIM IS NOW AN ADMIRAL
and Kirk Does Not Care to correct him.
KIRK:
They didn't!
McCOY:
This was your idea!
This was your idea, wasn't it?
KIRK:
Bones -- There's A Thing out there...
McCOY:
Why is any object we don't understand always called 'A Thing'?
KIRK:
...headed this way. I Need You.
Dammit Bones, I need you. Badly!
McCOY:
Permission to come aboard?
RAND (OC):
Permission granted, sir.
McCOY:
Well, Jim, I hear Chapel's an MD now.
Well, I'm gonna need a top nurse, not a Doctor who'll argue every little diagnosis with me.
And ...They've probably redesigned the whole sickbay, too.
I know engineers.
They LOVE to change things.....
