My favorite photo from Readercon (my favorite of all conventions) was taken during my final moments of the con, almost immediately before I began my trip home. I’d paused on the way out to visit a lobby bathroom (as one does before a long drive) opposite the hotel restaurant. After I’d taken care of business, I noticed that on the other side of the glass wall separating the hallway from the restaurant was a large circular table of other attendees which included K. Tempest Bradford, who sat with her back toward me.

I tapped on the glass while pointing at Tempest until someone else at the table gestured that she should turn around. Once I’d caught her eye, I placed my hand against the glass, hoping she would raise her hand to mine.

And she did!

So as soon as our fingers were separated by only a pane of glass, I slowly intoned, with a voice I tried to make sound hoarse and weary …

“I have been … ”

And the table roared, for all recognized (1982 spoiler alert!) Spock’s dying words to Kirk from Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.

Once the laughter died down, I completed the quote, and we laughed some more. I’m so happy the pose was captured and tweeted by sparkymonster. I adore that photo, not just due to the geekiness of it, but because I think both of our expressions were perfect. But still, I felt the image needed something … more.

And so—