Chapter 1: The Admiral
Author's notes: I was recently watching "Shakespeare in love". A few lines from the end got stuck in my head and I got the idea for a story in which I wanted to use not only these lines, but also a bunch of other quotes. Kind of a little challenge for myself - how many quotes from movies and series, that I like, can I fit into this story? ;)
Also, I decided it was time for Guinan and Ten Forward to appear again in a fic. I like to do that :)
Disclaimer: Star Trek isn't mine. I'm just borrowing the Enterprise and the characters for this fic.
Guinan smiled when Doctor Leah McCoy entered Ten Forward and sat down at a table at the panorama window that currently provided a beautiful view on Earth. She knew that it wouldn't take long until Captain James T. Kirk would also step through the door and join the CMO.
Two minutes later he arrived.
The El-Aurian watched them and smiled to herself. In her very brief time on the Enterprise and newly opened Ten Forward she'd gotten to know many crewmembers, including the captain and the chief medical officer.
At first Guinan had thought of them being a couple and was surprised when a nurse told her they were only best friends. She wondered when that was going to change. She also wondered why the Nero incident hadn't done the trick. Dangers like this should make people realize what was really important.
She kept watching them and smiled again. For not being together they certainly often behaved like it.
The non-couple didn't get very far in their conversation and didn't get the chance to order something. An ensign walked to them and handed Leah McCoy a PADD.
The doctor took it, read it and got very pale.
Guinan was near enough to hear the next words.
"What is it, Bones?" Jim asked.
"I didn't get off the hook as easy as we thought", she replied with a sigh and put the PADD on the table. "Or at all."
"What are you talking about?" he asked, still in a good mood, but a little worried now.
"Admiral Henderson is arriving in half an hour."
"So?"
"He's from Starfleet Law."
"So?"
Leah rolled her eyes. "Don't you understand, you moron? This is about me smuggling you on board the Enterprise." She kicked the PADD with one hand to him.
Jim picked it up and read the message.
Leah sighed while she saw the news sinking in on his face.
"No." He laid the PADD back on the table. "Whatever they're up to - I won't allow it."
"Jim..." She started, but didn't know what to say. If she was honest to herself, she'd already wondered why several weeks of repairs and a first mission had went by and Starfleet Command hadn't said a word about her bringing a suspended cadet on a starship. Even if said cadet ended up saving Earth and was a captain now.
"No. They had enough time. They said nothing. They can't just show up and decide to punish you."
"If it were that easy."
"It is."
"Jim."
"No!" The captain stood up. "I'm going to find out what's going on and do something." He stormed out of Ten Forward.
Leah sighed again. Jim was reacting how she would normally react. But the admiral was on his way anyway. She would learn very soon what the consequences were that the message spoke of.
And even sooner than she thought - the doors opened and a man with grey hair and an admiral's uniform entered.
He walked towards her and she rose to greet him.
"Admiral Henderson." Leah nodded.
"Lieutenant-Commander McCoy", he replied with a serious expression.
Leah tried to keep a neutral face. Him calling her by her Starfleet rank wasn't a good sign. She knew exactly what that meant - he wanted to remind her that she was more than a doctor and that she was bound to follow his orders.
"I'll make it short", he started with a note of arrogance in his voice. "You violated quite a few rules when you brought Kirk on board the Enterprise the Vulcan was attacked. No matter the outcome. No matter that Starfleet Command made him captain."
"I know", Leah said, almost defiant.
"You may have had a hand in saving Earth, McCoy, but your actions have to have and will have consequences."
"Your message made that already clear, Sir", she mirrored his cold tone.
"You had your fun on the Enterprise's first little mission in the last days. But when the ship leaves space dock again in three days you won't be on board."
A shiver ran down Leah's spine and, hit by those words, she felt a little dizzy. "What?" she managed to get out.
"You heard me. You can't break the rules and become CMO of Starfleet's flagship as a reward", he answered and made a derogative noise. "This is no fairy tale or hero's story with a happy ending. This is reality. You have to face the consequences. And that aside, you can't really have thought Starfleet would let you and him serve together."
"What do you mean by that, Sir?" she asked confused.
"Lower ranks in love are of no concern, but the captain and his CMO need to be professional."
"We are." Leah barely managed to keep calm and to not yell at a higher ranking officer now.
"Not from what I heard", Henderson remarked. "I won't allow that and I'm not the only one. You won't work with him in the future. Period."
Leah took a deep breath. She was furious and calm at the same time. "So... how's this to end?" she asked in a sad quiet voice, suppressing her anger.
He gave her a cold glance. "As all stories must, when love's denied. With tears and a journey."
The doctor blinked. No, she wouldn't give the admiral tears. And she snorted. "You talk as if all of this were only about that. Jim Kirk and I are best friends. Nothing more."
Henderson made a sound of disbelief. "Of course it is about that, Lieutenant-Commander. There have a lot of feelings to be involved if someone risks his career for someone else. And after what Kirk pulled with the Kobayashi Maru and what you did to get him on board - no, we can't have two officers like this be the highest ranking officers on a ship."
Again, Leah was about to start yelling, but restrained herself to not make the situation worse. She sensed that there was more. The admiral wasn't telling everything. There was a strange cold in his eyes. But she knew asking him about that was pointless. "Where will I be stationed?"
"That isn't decided yet. We'll let you know. There are quite a few captains and admirals standing in line to get you as their CMO on a starship or a space station. Not that you deserve that for your behavior, Lieutenant-Commander. But we can't demote one of Starfleet's best doctors and one of the officers saving Earth." With these words Admiral Henderson turned and walked away.
Leah didn't look after him. She just sat down again and stared out of the big window showing Earth beneath them. She had a hard time to remind herself to breathe.
Guinan, who had watched and heard everything, quietly walked over and sat down at the table. "Things are never as bad as they look", she said gently.
Leah didn't answer.
"The captain can be very persuasive", Guinan tried again.
That made the doctor smile slightly.
"You'll figure something out together. Don't you always?"
"Usually..." Leah slowly shook her head. "But there's something odd about this whole thing and the admiral. The conversation was weird... And Starfleet's rules don't forbid..." She trailed off.
"...fraternization?" Guinan finished the sentence.
Leah glared at her.
"I'm not blind." Guinan chuckled.
"And I'm not in a relationship with Jim."
"Sure about that?" the El-Aurian replied and left the table.
Author's notes: The lines "How is this to end? - As all stories must, when love's denied. With tears and a journey." is from the movie "Shakespeare in love". Viola asks, Queen Elisabeth answers.
I think of Kirk and McCoy as the highest ranking officers on the ship, because the CMO can outrank the captain in a medical emergeny.
