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Spock remembered the large, ornately-framed portraits, especially.

Positioned behind the podium, and before the massive windows of Spacedock, which gave onto the impressive sight of the Enterprise-D tethered in the near distance, had been the small succession of portraits.

They were the formal portraits, on loan from the fleet museum, of former captains of the Starships Enterprise, juxtaposed on canvas with their respective Starship.

At far left, of course was the famed Jonathan Archer, captain of the pictured Enterprise NX-01, by some considered him to be the greatest explorer of his time.

After leaving Starfleet, Archer had gone on to a career in diplomacy and politics, eventually becoming Federation president. Interestingly, Archer, until the day he died, preferred to be called "captain"; not admiral; not ambassador; not Mr. President.

Next, and chronologically nearly a century past Archer’s era, was Robert April, first captain of the CONSTITUTION-class ENTERPRISE, upon its launch in 2245.

Spock had met April on several occasions over the years, and the Commodore once told of a chance, late-night meeting with the elderly Jonathan Archer, present at the transfer ceremony of April’s first command, the USS Talbott, among the last of the old Daedalus-class starships in service. He described the older gentleman as "acerbic, yet jovial". The description reminded Spock of McCoy.

This encounter was made possible, because Archer was what was colloquially referred to as a "relative", subject to the relativistic effects of pre- and early-warp era space travel. They often lived to be hundreds of years old, subjectively, but objectively, they were in their eighties or nineties.

After April was the portrait of Christopher Pike, under whom Spock had served for eleven years.

Next, of course, the storied James T. Kirk; his best friend and arguably the greatest Starfleet captain of all time.

This portrait had the distinction of having two starships in its scene; the original ship, and the Enterprise-A. Kirk’s frame was partially draped in a black linen cloth, signifying death in the line of duty; in this case, saving the Excelsior-class Enterprise-B, the command of John Harriman, who was next in the line of portraits.

After Harriman, also draped in black, was the portrait of Rachel Garrett, captain of the ill-fated, Ambassador-class Enterprise-C, lost, destroyed at Narendra 3, while defending the Klingon outpost there from a Romulan attack.

This noble, courageous act so impressed the Klingons that it helped pave the way for the present amity between the Federation and the Klingon Empire.

As Spock stood perusing the portraits, McCoy sidled up beside him, nursing his second whiskey; he stood gazing at the paintings for a few moments, and grunted.

"That doesn’t look much like Jim, does it?" he gruffed, and sipped his drink. His southern drawl grew more defined, the more alcohol he consumed. It was a trait Spock had noticed long ago.

Spock considered this opinion, and had to agree. It did not, really.

"How come you’re not up here, Spock?" McCoy asked. "You ran her for a while, yourself, as I recall."

"Only as an Academy training vessel, Doctor; I never commanded her in line service," Spock replied, understanding that McCoy knew this, already, and was only making light.

"I seem to recall differently," McCoy declared, recalling the unfortunate events in the Mutara sector, and again sipped his drink. "This Picard has a lot to live up to," he opined softly after a moment, observing each portrait. "’ENTERPRISE’ is a name with a lot of history to it."

"Indeed;" Spock responded quietly. "I did not get to speak to the Captain, before he was called away. I did meet him once, however, some years ago at a diplomatic conference. You have met some of the crew, Doctor; what is your impression?"

McCoy chewed on this question for a moment, and again sipped his drink.

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