I finally found some time to write. Sorry for the wait.
This is the last part of the "Deadly Sins" series.
Part 1: Pride (my favourite)
Part 2: Sloth
Part 3: Envy
Part 4: Gluttony (my second favourite)
Part 5: Lust
Part 6: Greed
To understand this part (Wrath) you could of course read the 6 preceding parts :-), or you could also read this (short) synopsis:
A few weeks before the end of the five year mission, the Enterprise has hunted down Tamulok, a Romulan Tal Shiar agent, whose plan was to become the dictator of Romulus, the whole Star Empire and eventually the Federation, with the help of a virus that allows him to control all Romulan and Vulcan telepaths.
The origin of that virus is an independent planet, Meriah Five, where a people that is closely related to Romulans and Vulcans seemingly lives in peace and wealth. However, as McCoy has found out, the whole society only works, because few control the majority of the people with the help of that virus and keep them as slaves. Although Kirk and the Enterprise crew strongly resent this system, they cannot do anything, since the Prime Directive forbids them to interfere.
Another Romulan spy within the Federation, Velal, who carries the unborn child of McCoy (yes, Pon Farr, if you want to know more, read "Lust") wants to eliminate that virus once and for all on its home planet, since it would always be a threat to the Romulan Empire. Kirk helps her to escape their custody and to fake her death, so that no one will go looking for her.
McCoy learns that Velal is alive and carrying his unborn son only after she is already gone. He's quite mad at Kirk, because he knew Velal was pregnant from McCoy and did not tell him. Now he'll never have a chance of ever seeing his son.
Wrath
"Wrath (Latin, ira), also known as "rage", may be described as inordinate and uncontrolled feelings of hatred and anger. Wrath, in its purest form, presents with self-destructiveness, violence, and hate that may provoke feuds that can go on for centuries. Wrath may persist long after the person who did another a grievous wrong is dead. Feelings of anger can manifest in different ways, including impatience, revenge, and vigilantism. Wrath is the only sin not necessarily associated with selfishness or self-interest, although one can of course be wrathful for selfish reasons, such as jealousy, (closely related to the sin of envy)." (Wikipedia)
o0o
Starbase Three. McCoy wandered around the medical section of the base, absently rubbing his thumb against his pinky where his ring had once been. It had been on Starbase Three where he'd given his ring to that Trill merchant, fully expecting to get it back when returning his ship to him.
Well, there had been no ship to return. Tamulok had stolen it(1) and he, or maybe some Orion terrorist, had rigged it to let it explode in the bowels of the Columbia, killing 93 people, and injuring many more(2). Some of them were being treated here on the base.
"Leonard!" a familiar voice sounded from behind, and he turned, smiling joyfully.
"Jabilo," he took the hand of the black man before him, shaking it, and catching himself as he found he was checking the man's pupils.
"Long time no see," the other man greeted, blinking with each eye individually, for he had noticed McCoy's examination of his pupils.
McCoy laughed. "Right. Sorry. You look much better than the last time I saw you(3). Hope you're gonna be out if here soon?"
"Well, I'm hoping to join you again on your voyage home. I'm excited to see what Starfleet thought up for us as a welcome."
McCoy snorted. "I'm not."
"Because it'll involve dress-uniform?" M'Benga asked, grinning at his boss.
"Exactly."
"Well, … what will you do after our well deserved receptions, the parades, the gala dinners, official banquets, ...?"
McCoy groaned, he didn't plan on attending any of those. Maybe he could fake an illness? He was a doctor, he knew how to be convincing with things like that. "Vacation."
"Yeah, me too. Meet my folks. But it'll be only 3 weeks until my next assignment, here on Starbase Three."
"You're staying here?" McCoy asked, surprised.
"I impressed them as a patient. Now they're giving me a chance to impress them as a doctor, as well," he chuckled, "what about you, any idea where you will be working for the next 5 years?"
McCoy hestitated. Actually, he had, but he didn't really want to talk about it now.
"I guess the captain will want to set sail for the next mission as soon as possible," M'Benga continued, noticing McCoy's reluctance to answer.
"Yes, well. He's earned himself quite a reputation. I believe Starfleet Command wants him out there again." They'd be stupid if they didn't. No one was better at galloping around the galaxy than Jim Kirk, and to keep him away from a ship, strand him somewhere behind a desk, would not only be cruel, but also a waste of resources.
"Hm. So, I guess you and Spock are also going to be out there again, soon," McCoy's assisstant CMO concluded, eyeing the other man carefully.
"What makes you think that?" he asked, startled. Why did everyone believe that he, Kirk, and Spock were joined at the hip?
"Both of you have earned that reputation with him. Starfleet knows that. And Captain Kirk knows that, too. He wouldn't want to go without you."
McCoy shrugged. "You're exaggerating. And by the way, not everyone just does what he wants."
M'Benga looked at him, puzzled for a moment. "Everything okay?"
"I'm just tired of being in space. I think staying on earth for a while would be a good thing. I used to have a family, you know? I want to be near them, again."
"I thought you had been near your family, these past five years," M'Benga said, meaning it. He knew McCoy had a daughter, an ex-wife, and probably a bunch of other relatives back on earth, but he also knew that the bond between their captain, first officer and CMO was far stronger than a bond between mere friends.
"Are you suggesting that I would consider that pointed-eared …," McCoy started, but stopped mid-sentence. Whenever he made a joke about Spock's ears or his green blood these days, he had to think about his unborn son who would have the same anatomic characteristics as Spock. And he wouldn't want him to be talked about like that. Even though Spock had brought up Joanna in that unfortunate conversation in Kirk's quarters the other day(4), it wasn't him McCoy was holding a grudge against, it was Jim. And even that was receding already.
"Look, Jabilo. I admit they're good friends, maybe the best I ever had, but … it is starting to become unhealthy. For all of us. It's time to move on."
M'Benga would have commented, but a Vulcan in uniform was approaching. He looked familiar, though he couldn't quite place him anywhere.
"May I help you?" he addressed him, and the Vulcan acknowledged him with the quirk of an eyebrow before turning to McCoy.
"I need to talk to Dr McCoy," he answered.
"Captain Saluk," McCoy greeted, catching himself before extending his hand, "I did not realize the P'Jem was currently docked on Starbase Three." (3)
"She is not," Saluk answered coolly, "my first officer is in command of the P'Jem, while I conduct the investigation about the Romulan spy within my crew." (3)
"Velal." McCoy said. He needed to say her name, she was more to him than 'a Romulan spy'. (2)
"We have reason to believe that that's her real name."
McCoy sighed. He was surprised that Saluk had been entrusted with the investigation. He'd been Velal's, or better T'Plok's captain. He'd been fooled by her for months and he was everything but impartial. Well, … Vulcans.
He cleared his throat. "How can I help you?"
The Vulcan looked at him with a clear mixture of uncertainty and skepticism which made McCoy wonder if Spock's ever-present impassive expression was actually more Vulcan than a true Vulcan's. It was a common phenomenon among people who lived outside their usual cultural environment for a longer period of time. Also starship crews tended to follow traditions and customs more seriously than the people on their home planet. However, Saluk had always seemed very Vulcan-like to him. Of course, when he'd last seen him he had not been paying too much attention. Also, Saluk had been very enthusiastic, for a Vulcan, about that legendary planet they'd thought they'd found. It had been McCoy who had brought their attention to it. (3) And now, as it had turned out, it was all a hoax. (2) It must have been embarrassing, even for a Vulcan, to admit to have fallen for that. Maybe Saluk was blaming him?
After a moment, the Vulcan captain seemed to straighten his posture, as if he'd made up his mind about something, and addressed McCoy with an intense gaze:
"If you'll meet me on the observation deck at 1500 hours, doctor, I've got a message for you, from Elizabeth Tucker's cousin."
McCoy started, but with a sideways glance at M'Benga who seemed very interested in the conversation, he quickly hid his surprise. Elizabeth Tucker had been the name of the human-Vulcan infant whose stem cells the P'Jem had been prepared to deliver to McCoy. He'd wanted to use these cells that had been stored in the cryo bank for over 100 years(5), to create an antidote against the mutation of the Meriah virus. It had turned out to be unnecessary, though, since he'd found another sample of hybrid stem cells. They'd belonged to his own unborn son, as he had found out. McCoy unconsciosly clenched his fist. What exactly did Saluk mean by Elizabeth Tucker's cousin? Was there an actual cousin of hers still alive?
"Who?"
Saluk held his gaze. "What is the matter, doctor? I've been told humans, and you especially, indulge in speaking figuratively. There are no cousins of Elizabeth Tucker."
"Then who are you talking about?" McCoy snapped.
"I hear, it's a boy ... with blue eyes." The Vulcan's dark eyes bored into him know, it almost hurt.
He couldn't breathe. Did the Vulcan allude to his and Velal's unborn son? But, how could he know about him?
Before McCoy could reply, Saluk slightly bowed his head, turned, and walked away, leaving M'Benga and McCoy standing in the corridor.
"Sometimes I think I understand Vulcan manners. I've lived with them for many months, you know? But then ..." M'Benga commented as Saluk left.
"Yes," McCoy answered absently, checking the time. He had 30 minutes until he'd have to meet Saluk. So, after another brief exchange with his colleague, he quickly excused himself, not quite managing to hide that his hands were shaking.
(1) see "Envy"
(2) see "Lust"
(3) see "Sloth"
(4) see "Greed"
(5) see Star Trek Enterprise, "Terra Prime"