Historian's note: This takes place some time after Amok Time, in which Kirk states: "I've never known you to take leave of any kind – in fact, you refuse them." This implies Spock has, up to at least this point in the series, consistently declined shore leave. (At least since Kirk took command.) Kirk asks Spock to join him at least once (in the episode Wolf in the Fold) and Spock declines for obvious reasons. This story probably takes place after that, too. And I suppose this takes place before Requiem for Methuselah in which McCoy wonders aloud if he and Kirk can handle a drunk Vulcan. This is stated quite casually, and Spock doesn't correct him, despite having done so in the past. Knowledge of these episodes, however, is unnecessary. This note is just for those who might be interested in placing the story within the timeline of the series. Details fascinate me. Perhaps too much so. Please inform me if there is, in fact, too much detail or descriptive scenes in this story. (Which unfortunately has no plot.)
=(^)= The Best of Both Worlds =(^)=
The Starship Enterprise staggered into the solar system with a spectral flare of brilliant colors trailing in her wake, and several smaller vessels hastily scattered before her like a flock of startled birds.
"All stop," the captain's voice said smoothly, as though he had not just spent the last eighteen hours on the bridge while the duty shifts flowed around him.
"Answering all stop, aye sir," Sulu replied from the helm and the ship shuddered as he tapped the last few controls that brought them out of warp. She hung in space, trembling gently as though she were as exhausted as the crew she sheltered. Sulu leaned back in his seat with a small sigh of relief and glanced at the young Russian seated to his right at the navigation console. Chekov echoed the sentiment with a small, disbelieving shake of his head.
Both looked up as Captain Kirk walked up to stand between them to lay a hand on their shoulders. "Well done, gentlemen," he said with a warm smile. Sulu replied with a nod, and Chekov simply smiled in pleasure at the praise.
"Hallelujah," McCoy muttered from behind them.
The past two days had crawled by with nerve-racking tension while the Enterprise struggled to get to the nearest starbase that had the facilities to realign the warp nacelles. Everyone currently on the bridge crew had been on duty now for at least thirteen hours, for the struggle to keep the ship moving only grew more difficult as time passed.
"Message coming in from the starbase, sir," Uhura called.
"Main viewer, please," Kirk replied.
Kirk dropped his hands to his sides and looked up at the large screen that dominated the front of the bridge. The captain did not glance behind him as the turbolift doors hissed open and deposited a very haggard chief engineer onto the bridge. Scotty headed straight for the engineering console, bending over it to check the readouts without bothering with the chair.
The viewscreen switched from a starry display to that of an elderly man with a mane of white hair that fell to well past his shoulders. The image was streaked with interference, but Kirk did not ask Uhura to clear it up for he knew it would already be the best that was possible at the moment. "Greetings, Enterprise, I am Director Sharnas." The man on the viewscreen gave a brilliant smile and made a small bow. "I realize the circumstances of your visit are less than ideal, but I still wish to extend the welcome and hospitality of Starbase 12."
Kirk smiled. "Any safe port in a storm, Director."
Sharnas nodded. "Our scans confirm your previous transmissions before the loss of communications. They indicate that your warp engine is in a constant state of flux – no doubt it required quite a bit of effort to keep the warp field stable." Kirk managed to keep a straight face as Scotty let out a derisive snort at the understatement. "I regret to inform you, however, that your vessel cannot be allowed to dock with the Starbase in its current state." Kirk nodded, but Sharnas held up one hand and continued before the captain could respond. "We shall be sending a crew to your ship and conduct repairs there until the Enterprise is certified safe to dock. In the meanwhile, a transfer carrier is en rout to accommodate the evacuation of your ship."
Kirk was trying very hard not to show too much wanton enthusiasm, but he could not prevent his smile from widening. "We appreciate your understanding and hospitality, sir. Since it is necessary for the Enterprise to be evacuated for the repairs, I would like to officially request shore leave for my crew."
Sharnas smiled knowingly. "But of course, Captain, of course. The transport will arrive shortly." And with that, he gave another polite bow and signed off.
"Well," Kirk whirled in a ninety degree turn to put his back to the viewscreen and clapped his hands together once below his chin. He made no effort to stop the grin from consuming his face. "If the Enterprise must suffer the bad luck of the Fates, I can't say that I mind the timing."
Spock looked up from his science viewer, his features moving into the lines of an almost indiscernible frown. He turned his head and looked down to regard his commanding officer. "Captain, Fate had nothing to do with it. We simply underestimated—"
Kirk sighed. "Yes, Mister Spock."
The Vulcan tilted his head and studied his captain. Kirk simply smiled back at him from the center of the bridge, hands still clasped in front of his chest, and Spock realized the captain was boosting the crew's morale at his first officer's expense. And succeeding. McCoy was in the process of rolling his eyes heavenward, and each member of the bridge suddenly bent to their duty stations with studious attention. The wave of relief rolling across the bridge was almost palpable in intensity. Spock chose to ignore the captain's mild reprimand, and raised an eyebrow with exaggerated dignity. He gave a tiny shake of his head before turning back to his console without comment.
Uhura was the first to fail in her attempt to contain her amusement. Her light titter was enough to break the discipline of the rest. It spread with a short bark from Sulu and an odd choked off sound from Scott. And then the bridge of the Enterprise was ringing with laughter, releasing pent up stress.
Privately, Spock conceded that he did not find it objectionable.
"Lieutenant Uhura," Kirk called after a few moments, and his voice, though light, recalled them back to duty. "Any change?"
The dark skinned woman turned to him with a wry twist of her mouth. "Sorry sir, there is still too much interference from our own engines for long range subspace communications."
Kirk nodded, not really having expected anything else. "Send a message to the Starbase, to be relayed to Starfleet Command. Let them know we got here in one piece."
She nodded and turned back to her board.
"Well, Bones," Kirk commented to McCoy, who stood beside him with one arm draped casually on the back of the command chair. "You'll be able to stop worrying about the radiation pretty soon."
The doctor gave a weary nod. He'd gotten more sleep than the captain, despite his best efforts to get Kirk to rest, but he was still bone tired. "Yeah," he agreed. Then he brightened a bit. "But I'm even happier that we can't use the damn transporters 'cause of it. I mean, that's a perfect start for shore leave!" He waved what appeared to be a glossy printed page, folded into several sections. "Jim, you're gonna love this," McCoy added.
"Oh?" the captain asked. "What did you cook up, Bones?"
Spock resisted an urge to sigh. Several quiet conversations spontaneously sprung up around the bridge with the captain's words, as though the informal question granted permission. Spock made no attempt to listen in, but it was impossible not to hear.
At the helm, Lieutenant Sulu was saying, "It'll be great, Pavel!"
"Zet is vhat you said last time, and I ended up in ze sickbay vith -- "
"Ach, me wee bairns, I hate t' think of leaving 'em in the hands of some cold spacedock..."
"Oh, Scotty, I'm sure they'll take good care of her. Come with us."
Spock tuned out the babbling and focused on his science display. He adjusted various controls as he returned to his examination of the data acquired by their last few moments caught in the subspace distortion field of the pulsar. He was very curious as to how the Enterprise had failed to detect that pulsar's subspace energy curve until they were literally on top of it.
"And, Jim, they're calling it a holodeck!"
And now Spock did sigh, a careful exhalation of breath, for the conversation between the doctor and the captain was getting closer as they navigated the rail that curved against the raised step separating the upper level of the bridge from the lower.
"Spock," Kirk said.
Spock straightened in his seat and turned. McCoy had his back to him, casually leaning against the rail while peering intently at his folded paper. Kirk rested his arms on the bright red metal bar, and looked up at him from the lower level with a somewhat wistful smile.
"Captain?"
"I presume you intend to enjoy the solitude?" Kirk asked.
Spock gave a small, patient shake of his head. "Since the Enterprise must be completely evacuated, I regret that will not be possible."
Kirk nodded. "I meant on the starbase. Not as nice as an empty Enterprise, but still… much quieter."
A staccato burst of laughter rang out and Spock glanced at Sulu, who was now slapping a very resigned Chekov on the back.
"Indeed," Spock agreed dryly. He turned to his science station, where the readings scrolling across the screen were surely not much more than incomprehensible waves to the captain. But Kirk followed his gaze regardless, and narrowed his eyes at it in study. "I believe the starbase has an excellent astrophysics lab that will be able to continue to separate the individual energy signatures," Spock added, and made a small adjustment before turning back to Kirk.
The captain regarded him with one corner of his mouth turning up slightly.
"Says here twenty base programs, with thousands of combinations," McCoy said suddenly. He frowned. "Combinations of what?"
Kirk shook his head and turned toward McCoy. He made a vague gesture at the folded paper. "Bones, where'd you get that?"
McCoy grinned and hooked a thumb at Uhura, who was apparently still attempting to cajole the chief engineer into joining her and a young yeoman. "Well, when I found out we're gonna get our first shore leave in over six months, I asked Uhura to look up some information. Bless her, she even printed up some brochures." Kirk leaned back slightly as McCoy waved the paper under his nose. "And I booked us a whole day at this holodeck thing."
Kirk shifted his position and leaned a hip against the rail, raising both eyebrows. "Bones, I'm surprised at you – brand new technology, with tourists as the guinea pigs. And you get in line?"
The doctor frowned, and glanced back at the paper in sudden suspicion. "Well, now that you put it that way…"
Kirk looked back up at Spock, who, with his usual impeccable manners, had waited patiently during the exchange. "Solid holograms, Spock. How can light be solid?" he asked with an amused expression.
"Captain?" Uhura called.
Spock considered the question while Kirk gave her a nod to continue.
"The captain of the Tubman sends his greetings, sir, and asks if we're ready."
Kirk nodded. "Standard evac procedure, Lieutenant."
"Aye, sir," she acknowledged and turned back to her console.
"While photons do not have mass, sir," Spock said thoughtfully, "it is possible that if a strong enough gravimetric field were employed, one could—"
McCoy interrupted him with a snort. "It was rhetorical, Spock," he said, his accent drawing out the words with sarcasm. "This holodeck thing is for entertainment - you're probably the only person using one who would try to take it apart!" He ended his tirade with another derisive snort, and looked back down at his brochure. "I'm surprised you don't want to check it out."
Spock hesitated for just an instant, pondering the mechanics of such a feat, and in that instant both humans turned their full attention upon him with eyes wide in surprise.
"Spock?" Kirk asked.
Spock looked from one to the other. The two almost always took their shore leaves together, and had often invited him as well. Spock had always declined, believing they were simply being polite - and frankly, he had never considered any of their intended plans to be even remotely appealing. Seeing both of them looking up at him with what was clearly hopeful eagerness, however, caught him somewhat off guard.
"I… would not wish to impose…" he replied slowly.
"Well, I'll be damned," McCoy said in astonishment.
"Spock," Kirk said and held out both hands in an amused gesture of entreaty. "It's just shore leave - not a marriage proposal."
When Spock hesitated a moment further, McCoy cleared his throat theatrically and held up a section of his battered pamphlet to read aloud from it. "Boasting the most modern of advances in replicator, holography, and transporter technology, the holodeck is sure to astound you." He pursed his lips, and flicked a mischievous glance at Spock. "What in the world could they be using replicators and transporters for in a hologram program?" McCoy wondered.
Kirk pushed away from the rail, and stepped up to the second level. He reached past the Vulcan and popped open a compartment in the console. "Here," he said, and withdrew Spock's tricorder to hand it to his science officer.
"Uh, do you think they'll let us do that?" McCoy asked doubtfully.
Kirk nodded firmly. "Yes," he answered. McCoy opened his mouth as if to question that assurance, then seemed to think better of it and shrugged instead.
"What do you say, Spock?" Kirk asked.
Spock glanced down at the tricorder he held in his hand, then back up at Kirk with a raised eyebrow. "It sounds… fascinating."
"Well, this should be interesting," McCoy said.
Kirk laughed, and Spock returned to his study of the sensor logs while McCoy pointed out to Kirk some of the attractions listed in the brochure.
"They're ready for us, Captain," Uhura announced after some time, rising from her seat.
"On our way," Kirk answered, and Spock began transferring his work to several datacards and shutting down his science station.
Uhura placed a gentle hand on her earpiece as she spoke softly and smiled at whatever response she received before placing the device on her console. She linked an arm casually with Scotty's, and the Scotsman's reluctant expression softened somewhat as he allowed her to lead him into the turbolift. The remainder of the bridge crew followed suit with calm efficiency.
"Ready, Captain," Spock said, sliding the last disk into a small storage compartment in his tricorder.
Kirk cast a final, lingering glance around the empty bridge. The stations had all been shut down, the sounds that permeated the background noise reduced to barely more than the occasional chirp of the computer and hum of the ventilator. It was eerie. A sense of foreboding crept up his spine and lodged itself in his chest and he took a slow breath in an attempt to dispel the feeling.
He felt a pressure on his back and glanced at McCoy. "Come on, Jim," McCoy said with a low chuckle, and gave the captain a push towards the turbolift. "Your baby will be just fine."
Spock looped the strap of his tricorder over his shoulder as Kirk paused again to survey the bridge. "I fail to see how the Enterprise could be compared to an infant," he intoned.
As predicted, McCoy glared at him. "You know damn well what I meant," he growled with irritation. "This is going to be the worst shore leave ever, with this walking machine tagging along." He gave Kirk another insubordinate shove, but the distressing look on the captain's face had altered into an indulgent smile as Spock took his place at his side.
"Play nice, Bones," Kirk admonished and led the way into the turbolift. "Shuttlebay," he added for the computer's benefit and the lift descended in silence.
The U.S.S. Enterprise was equipped with one hundred escape pods, each designed to accommodate five persons. Each crewman had an assigned pod, and the entire vessel could be vacated in less than one minute should the order to abandon ship ever be given.
But this was not an emergency.
It was an orderly, calm evacuation, and Kirk was at a loss to explain why he couldn't shake this sense of impending doom. He paced the corridor impatiently while the shuttlebay went through its pressurization cycles, and sighed when the red light switched to green. The doors parted, and the three officers crossed to the ungainly craft squatting on the deck. It wasn't a Starfleet design, and looked very much out of place. It was a mottled brown, with bits of technology protruding from every surface. It looked like a dry leaf that had been crunched up and left on the shuttlebay deck.
Not that the boxy Starfleet shuttles were a vision of beauty or anything, but… "Damn, that thing is ugly," Kirk commented quietly as a ramp descended.
McCoy rocked from his toes to his heels and back again. "Beggars can't be choosers," he quipped dryly.
Kirk winced slightly, for turning his ship over to non-Starfleet personnel did not sit well with him. There was no help for it, however, and he let out another slow sigh as a door hissed open in the side of the alien shuttle. The interior was just as unappealing as the exterior and the three paused on the threshold as the door closed loudly behind them. It had an unfinished look to it, with exposed conduits and piping lining the bulkheads.
"Please be seated, gentlemen," their pilot instructed, looking over his shoulder with a friendly smile.
McCoy did so readily, fiddling with the unfamiliar design of the harness attached to the seat. Spock was unsure how to interpret the glance that the captain gave him, and raised an eyebrow in silent question. Kirk shook his head and took a seat beside McCoy, and Spock slid into the chair next to his captain without comment. The harness was not difficult to figure out, and snapped into place comfortably.
"All set?" their host inquired with another backwards glance.
"All set," Kirk answered, and none of the unease that Spock could sense radiating from him showed in his voice.
Spock did not understand why his captain was so unsettled. Although he did not suspect any treachery, he had long ago accepted Kirk's inexplicable ability to divine trouble. He responded to the emotion pressing against his mental shields by carefully watching every motion the pilot made as the shuttle lifted off. They were the last to leave the ship, and the massive bay doors opened to the vastness of space upon receiving the command issued by the shuttle.
"Jim," McCoy said, "If you don't relax, I'm gonna sedate you." This mutinous threat was leveled with complete calm that was ruined as the shuttle left the Enterprise's gravity field and asserted its own. He grabbed for his harness when the brief moment of nausea-inducing lightness passed through them.
Kirk made a conscious effort to obey. "I can't help it, Bones. I have a bad feeling about this," he confessed quietly.
"You just don't like leaving the ship to strangers," McCoy said, and gave him a reassuring pat on the arm. "She'll be fine, Jim." McCoy leaned forward to look at Spock across the captain's chest. "Tell him she'll be fine."
Spock raised an eyebrow when the captain ducked his chin as though mildly embarrassed. "The odds of the repairs to the Enterprise going sufficiently awry as to cause destruction or other irreparable harm are approximately one thousand one hundred fifteen to one," he assured his captain.
Kirk's head snapped up in alarm, and he looked over his shoulder as though he could somehow see his receding ship through the bulkhead of the shuttle.
"Good God, man!" McCoy snapped at Spock.
"In that extremely unlikely event," Spock concluded, "the ship has been completely evacuated and the crew is safe."
"I swear, Spock, you're—" McCoy began angrily, but Kirk waved him off and smiled.
"He's right, Bones," he said, and a great deal of the tension in his shoulders eased. The crew was safe. He smiled at McCoy, and the doctor narrowed his eyes at Spock suspiciously before leaning back in his seat and returning the smile.
"You know it's gonna be interesting," McCoy said with a mischievous grin. "The Starbase being built and maintained by Risans and all."
Kirk laughed softly. "You're a dirty old man, doctor," he accused.
"You betcha," McCoy agreed happily.
There was a sense of anticipation rolling off of his captain, and Spock settled his weight more comfortably into the chair with some relief. He still watched the pilot, however, because even though the captain had chosen to disregard his own intuition, Spock never did. The shuttle approached the transfer carrier and they waited out the docking maneuvers before disembarking and joining the rest of the crew. The trip in-system to the Starbase was short and free of incident.
Kirk and his companions found themselves on an observation deck by the time they drew near their destination, and watched as the Starbase loomed out of the darkness of surrounding space. The facility was carved into an asteroid that was large enough to qualify as a small moon, had it been orbiting a planetary body. The rocky surface was peppered with clear domes, the light shining from within revealing brightly lit parks and ponds.
Since joining the Federation, Risa - and its people - had become infamous for their hedonistic culture. Not even the extremely prolific Argelians could compare, for the Risans had engineered their entire planet to accommodate every form of pleasure to every form of life that was conceivable. This Starbase served them as a testing ground for new technologies that involved recreation. The star it orbited was unremarkable, possessing only three uninhabitable gas giants and an assortment of asteroids as satellites. Though sanctioned by Starfleet, it was sufficiently removed from any inhabited solar systems and shipping lanes of the Federation that it would cause no undue harm should it spontaneously explode as a result of some failed experiment.
And yet, it was a veritable hub of activity.
They watched the large viewscreen of the observation deck as several ships of various makes entered a cavernous maw cut into the side of the asteroid. When their own ship followed, it was revealed that this was in fact a huge docking bay. A staggering variety of ships were berthed in row upon row of docking ports, attached firmly to the Starbase by rigid tethers. A gentle shiver rippled under their feet as their transport docked and a lilting female voice began issuing disembarking instructions over a shipwide intercom.
Kirk laughed as the distinctly touristy voice dispelled the rest of his lingering doubts. There was no particular order assigned to the crew as to who left first, but the trio received friendly waves and offers to go ahead of them as they recognized their captain. Kirk waved these offers off, enjoying the casual moment.
The umbilical connecting the transport to the Starbase was wide and allowed a steady torrent of people to cross at a time. The four hundred twenty six members of the crew of the Enterprise poured out of the connecting portal, chattering excitedly, and blended in with the traffic bustling past this part of the asteroid. The Starbase itself was not very different than the transport and its shuttle, and it became apparent that the 'rough and unfinished' look was actually a theme concocted for the enjoyment of visitors. The flow of traffic ushered them some distance before thinning out. They drifted to the edge of the wide concourse, people streaming around them as though they were a boulder in a river.
"Does that thing have a map, Bones?"
Spock focused on the markings painted on the rocky walls of the Starbase as McCoy flipped his brochure over in his hands and made a negative sound. A brightly attired being belonging to a species that Spock did not recognize brushed past the Vulcan, and he forced down the urge to cringe. The pressing crowd of people was oppressive. There was a time when he had only the unpleasantness of physical contact to contend with, but ever since he had begun using his inherited abilities in the line of duty, he'd been finding it more and more difficult to block unwanted emanations.
"I believe these colored lines indicate destinations," Spock said, raising his voice to be heard over the babble of noise surrounding them. All three of them were abruptly jostled and pushed to one side as a quartet of burly Tellerites shouldered past. McCoy scowled after them, but Kirk simply looked where Spock had been pointing and ignored the interruption.
Kirk pointed back the way they had come. "There's a legend," he said, and squinted to read the words. Inscribed every ten meters were directions detailing where each colored line led. "Ah, purple is sciences," he added and led the way down the corridor.
They kept the wall on their left as they walked, and it was several minutes before Spock realized that his two friends had maneuvered to place him between it and themselves in order to act as human buffers against the crowd. He glanced from one to the other with gratitude, but neither seemed to be aware of their actions. McCoy was eying a fair-haired female that was lounging rather suggestively against a support strut, and Kirk was staring up at another set of instructions on the wall with an annoyed grimace.
The throng of travelers gradually lessened as they left the more common destinations. They discovered transit tubes that were reminiscent of the subway system Kirk and Spock had become accustomed to during their stay in Earth's 1930s. There was a large diagram displaying the routs, and Spock set about deciphering this while his companions pointed out the more outrageous tourists and laughed at each others less than complimentary remarks. Spock ended up navigating them through the complicated transit system, for neither the captain nor McCoy had any interest in listening to his explanation of the fascinating way in which it was laid out. Eventually, they made it to the scientific district of the Starbase, and the rough-hewn look of the corridors abruptly became more familiar as they took on a professional appearance.
When asked, a passing resident directed them to the appropriate laboratory. Spock obtained permission to set up and use one of the computers there while Kirk related the tale of one of his past shore leaves. Spock listened absently, unable to completely ignore his commanding officer, but he did not know what both Kirk and McCoy found so humorous about the event that ended up with him in a hospital on the planet in question. Spock left instructions with one of the laboratory's scientists, and the three officers returned to the transit system.
Starbase 12 boasted four of the facilities it had taken to calling 'holodecks'. These, according to the transit map, took up a substantial percentage of the Starbase and were constructed on the far side of the asteroid. They were the only three people to leave the tube when it deposited them at the entrance to this newest section, and they found themselves in a large chamber with two corridors branching from it.
They were greeted by a dark-haired female wearing a uniform of sorts. "Hello, gentlemen," she all but purred. "Can I help you?"
"Reservations for Kirk," McCoy spoke up when the captain glanced uncertainly at him.
She checked the terminal on her desk briefly, and smiled. "Right this way, gentlemen," she said, and left her station to lead them down one of the corridors. Kirk and McCoy both admired the view of her swaying posterior, exchanging appreciative looks with each other.
Spock briefly considered returning to the laboratory. Did humans think of nothing else? Instead, he recalled his reason for accompanying them on this excursion. He lifted his tricorder, absently checking its power status.
"I'm sorry, sir, but I'm afraid I can't allow you to take that with you," the nameless woman said with a small frown.
McCoy made a face at Kirk that clearly conveyed 'I told you so' and the captain flicked a quick glance at Spock before gently taking their guide by the elbow. "Listen, my friend gets a little bit nervous around new technology, but we've heard great things about Starbase 12, and well, I'd really appreciate it if you'd let my science officer bring his tricorder. It makes the doctor feel better."
McCoy suddenly coughed in outrage, and Kirk gave him a quick glare.
The woman glanced between McCoy's unconvincing scowl and Spock's glacial expression. "Well…"
"Please?" Kirk asked, giving her a smile.
She relented slowly, returning the smile. "Oh, all right," she said. "It's not like it's a secret weapon or anything."
"Thanks, I really appreciate it," Kirk said, his smile widening.
The woman blushed, and gestured at a control panel on the wall. "Enjoy your visit," she said before bowing and taking her leave.
"If only you could figure out a way to bottle and sell that stuff," McCoy promptly growled. "And why do I always gotta be the patsy?"
Kirk smiled as he moved to examine the panel. "Spock doesn't make a good patsy," he chuckled.
Spock wasn't certain if the statement was an insult or a compliment.
Kirk tapped the panel. "Species?" he muttered aloud to himself, then tapped a few more keys. His lips twisted in mild annoyance, and then he hit the same key several times in rapid succession.
McCoy, leaning over his shoulder, rolled his eyes. "Can't we just leave it at human? Spock's close enough and it's at the beginning of the alphabet."
"Bones," Kirk chided. Before McCoy could come up with a suitable comeback, Kirk leaned back to give the doctor a clearer view. "Okay, these are the sixteen base programs that are compatible for us." He glanced over at Spock. "Do you have anything in mind?"
Spock looked up from his tricorder. "You may choose whatever scenario you prefer between yourselves. I am merely interested in the mechanics."
Kirk shrugged, and began scrolling through the options.
"Oh, look at that," McCoy said. "That might be—" then he glanced at Spock and shook his head. "No, never mind," he finished with a chuckle. Kirk and McCoy shared an amused glance, but did not elaborate further.
"Aha!" Kirk suddenly said, and hit a key.
McCoy groaned. "What is it with you?" he asked plaintively.
Kirk hit a couple more keys without answering.
McCoy's eyebrows flew up. "Oh, no you don't – you set the rest to random and that damn machine will probably broil us!" he said loudly, reaching out to slap Kirk's hands away from the panel.
Spock watched with growing consternation as the captain of Starfleet's flag ship physically shouldered said ship's chief medical officer aside to block him and a brief scuffle ensued. A small group of Andorians paused in the corridor to watch, and Spock stared back at them with cold Vulcan reserve until they moved on.
"There!" Kirk said in triumph. The control panel chirped, and McCoy sighed in resignation. A soft thrumming sound started up behind the closed doors while the holodeck initiated the scenario. "It's more fun this way," Kirk said encouragingly.
McCoy folded his arms and gazed upwards, but said nothing.
The panel beeped, and the double doors separated with a loud pneumatic hiss. Kirk took a deep breath of the breeze that wafted out, and grinned suddenly before stepping in. McCoy and Spock shared an uncertain glance before following him. The instant he was past the threshold, McCoy threw out both arms to balance himself as the world seemed to wobble around him. One arm caught Spock across the chest, who stepped aside with a faint expression of disdain.
They were standing on the bridge of a sea vessel. It was enclosed by large windows, several of which were open to catch the salt-scented breeze.
The three men turned at the mechanical sound of the doors closing. The large metal doorway was incongruous against the gleaming white bulkhead of the cabin until a shimmering light wavered over it. Now, it presented itself as part of the wall, blending in seamlessly with the rest of the bridge.
Kirk studied the control panel set into the wall, then pressed a switch. The wall shimmered and revealed the large metal holodeck doors opening to the outside. McCoy stuck his head through the doorway and looked both ways. It was very disorienting to be standing on a moving surface while having the upper body leaning over stationary ground, and he quickly pulled himself back in with an odd sound in the back of his throat. The doors slid closed a moment later and concealed themselves once more.
"Fascinating," Spock intoned from behind them and the familiar sound of the tricorder's hum started up.
McCoy narrowed his eyes. "I can't believe I gave up the company of a lovely lady for this."
Kirk spared McCoy an amused but fond glance before plying the control panel for more information. "We can change things from here, if we want," he said. "Temperature, humidity, that kind of thing." Then he placed his palm against the wall and gave it a firm push. "It certainly feels real," he added, turning to look over his shoulder at Spock.
Spock glanced up, saw Kirk's inquiring look, and raised an eyebrow. "It is real, Captain, in every sense of the word that matters. The bulkhead in question is comprised of taranium, a standard light-weight alloy typically used in the construction of recreational watercraft."
Kirk frowned slightly and tilted his head. "It's not a hologram? I mean, it actually registers on the tricorder?" He turned his back on the control panel and surveyed the area. 'Bridge' was probably too grand a term to apply to the control room, but Kirk decided he preferred to call it that anyway.
McCoy sighed. "You two can discuss the merits of science – I'm going to go find something to do," he said and headed for an open doorway at the rear of the bridge. His stride was decidedly unstable, with both arms held slightly from his sides in an attempt to keep himself balanced.
Kirk laughed. "Try not to fall overboard!" he called after him.
McCoy gave him a backwards wave before disappearing down the steps that were beyond the doorway, grumbling under his breath.
Spock glanced after him, then back to the captain. Kirk was exploring the small bridge, trailing his fingers across random surfaces. A wide expanse of transparent aluminum took up the front, with the helm controls laid out below it. Kirk smiled as he ran his hand over the large wooden steering wheel set incongruously into the otherwise electronic console.
"The tricorder registers the entire vessel as being substantial," Spock continued as he watched the captain examine the controls. Kirk did not look up as he spoke, but the Vulcan knew he was listening by the slight tilt of his head in his direction. "It would appear that the simulator employs the use of a very complex replicator system to actually create a large portion of the setting."
Kirk pulled a large bound volume from a shelf and opened it. "So, we're inside a giant replicator?" he asked.
"It would be more accurate to say it is closer to a modified transporter. Both technologies function by disassembling and reassembling atoms. I detect a large array of conventional transporter mechanisms installed systematically across the chamber. I surmise these are used to dissolve and store the simulation when it is ended."
The captain looked at him sharply, his eyes widening in mild alarm, then glanced at the open doorway. "We're inside a giant transporter?" he asked quietly.
"Perhaps somewhat over simplified, sir, but yes."
Kirk closed the book and leaned towards his first officer in a rather conspiratorial manner. "Don't let Bones know about that."
Spock inclined his head in silent agreement.
"Let's go see if the good doctor has found anything interesting," Kirk said as he tucked the book under his arm and headed for the door. Kirk paused at the top of the metal stairs, blinking in the bright sunlight. A swift breeze blew warm, moist air against his face and he sighed in happiness as he looked around. The steps led to the main deck of the yacht, which stretched out behind and in front of the elevated bridge. Kirk leaned over the rail that encircled a narrow walkway around the bridge and looked towards the bow.
"Oh," he said softly, and looked upwards.
Spock turned to follow his gaze, and raised an eyebrow.
Taking up half the horizon was a giant globe, its orange and yellows contrasting with the pale blue of the sky. It was so large that it looked like it might fall from the heavens at any moment and splash into the gently rippling ocean below it.
"That's about as far as I got, too," McCoy's voice drifted up from below and Kirk leaned over the rail to look down at him. The doctor had made it down the steps and around the corner and had apparently been admiring the view for the past few minutes.
"Interesting," Spock said, and Kirk looked over his shoulder at him. He was looking up at the sky as he spoke. "We are looking at the skies of Vulcan, as seen from what, on Earth, would be considered the equivalent of the midwinter solstice."
Kirk blinked. "But I thought Vulcan doesn't have any moons?"
"It does not," Spock answered. "That is T'Khut. It is the same distance from the sun as Vulcan, making both planets third, but has a highly elliptical orbit. It passes very close to Vulcan, in cosmic terms."
"Spock, is that really what it looks like?"
Spock tilted his head and studied the sky. "Vulcan's atmosphere does not contain as much moisture, and is therefore not quite the same shade of blue as depicted here, but it is otherwise an accurate image."
"It's beautiful," Kirk said quietly.
Caught by the tone, Spock lowered his eyes to see that Kirk was staring up in awe and smiling. Kirk turned his head, and Spock found himself the target of that intent gaze, the almost childish smile of wonderment still shining from his face. That joy was somehow contagious, and Spock felt the corners of his mouth turn up before he could stop himself.
Kirk's eyes widened in surprise, and he reached out to give Spock a light slap on the shoulder. "Told you you'd like shore leave," he said, grinning. His feet rang on the metal steps and he jumped the last two to land with a thump on the deck below.
"Whatcha got there, Jim?" McCoy asked as Spock took the steps at a much more dignified pace.
Kirk glanced down at the large book still tucked under his arm as though he had forgotten that he was carrying it. "Well, Bones," he said as he held it up to study the cover. "This little ship is officially called 'A Ship with No Name' and this is the log."
McCoy shook his head. "What's the point of having a holographic log?"
Kirk opened it and turned a few pages. "I think the book stays. See?" He held it out to McCoy, who leaned forward to peer at it upside-down. "Looks like previous visitors have written notes and signed it."
"Huh," McCoy said. "Well, we can't break tradition, can we?" he asked.
"It would be a crime," Kirk agreed.
He looked around briefly for any kind of surface, and found three lounge chairs placed invitingly on the deck not far from them. Kirk took a seat on one, placing the open book on his knee, and removed a pen that was attached to the binding by a thin chain. McCoy leaned over his shoulder as the captain wrote in the book. Then he held the book up towards the doctor, who took it with a grin. Settling on the lounge next to him, he signed his name also. Then both looked towards Spock, who was still standing at the foot of the stairs and watching them.
McCoy waggled the chained pen at him. "You gonna sign or not?"
"I fail to see the logic of such an action," Spock replied.
McCoy snorted. "There is no logic, Spock," he said with what was, for him, admirable patience. "It's just a little something to leave behind for the next person."
Spock raised an eyebrow at that, but made no move to join them. Instead, he returned to his study of the tricorder's readings.
Kirk and McCoy exchanged looks. McCoy heaved a long suffering sigh, dropped the book onto the lounge and reluctantly followed as Kirk shrugged and crossed to the railing. He peered over it as McCoy came up behind him.
"I can't believe that's a hologram," Kirk said, looking down at the water.
McCoy started to look over, then jerked back as a wave splashed up against the hull, spilling over the edge. Kirk grinned as they were both soaked, and McCoy made a disgusted sound. He was trying to wring some of the water out of his tunic when the boat rocked to another swell and the rail caught Kirk against his stomach, nearly pitching him over the side. McCoy let out a startled yelp and grabbed at his shirt to haul him back. Kirk shook his head, spraying salt water, and laughed. He batted McCoy's hands away, and the doctor realized he had a death grip on his friend. Just a hologram. Not a real boat, not a real ocean, no real danger. He released him with a somewhat self-conscious flush.
"Damn fool!" he snapped angrily. "Give me a heart attack why don't you!"
"It is not a hologram, Captain," Spock said as Kirk, undaunted, leaned over the edge again.
McCoy turned to glare at the science officer, still mildly embarrassed. He hadn't even seen Spock approach. Then his words sank in, and McCoy felt slightly better. Well, at least he could have drowned. Still, as Spock came up on Kirk's other side, he couldn't help wishing that the Vulcan would get soaked too. Of course, the simulated ocean only chose to heave when McCoy was within range. They might have been coasting on a sheet of glass as Spock peered over the rail.
Spock glanced down at his tricorder. "The water is real, but a rather clever use of holography grants a misleading impression of depth and forward motion." Spock raised an eyebrow. "There is, in fact, only a few meters separating the bottom of this craft from the floor of the simulator."
"I think I'm gonna be sick…" McCoy muttered. Both of his companions turned to look at him, and McCoy swallowed down a rush of nausea. Between the constant rocking motion of the ship and the adrenaline leaving his system, he was pretty sure he was on the verge of losing his last meal.
Kirk frowned slightly. "We can pick a different program, Bones. I didn't know you got seasick."
"Well, I didn't know, either," McCoy said with a dismissive wave. "I'm gonna head down to the galley and see if there's a first aid kit."
"All right," Kirk agreed reluctantly. "But—"
McCoy held up a finger, and Kirk dropped his protest. The captain watched as McCoy went below, a trail of rumbling complaints drifting in his wake.
Spock moved slightly out of Kirk's way as the captain leaned backwards against the rail, elbows resting on the wet metal, and turned his face towards the simulated sun. According to the tricorder, the light in this chamber was in fact a full spectrum as that which a sun would produce, including the less harmful rays. There was undoubtedly a device implanted in the ceiling of the chamber, able to move with the motion of a sun across the sky, that produced the desired effect.
"Can you imagine," the captain said without opening his eyes, and Spock looked up from his tricorder, "if we had one of these things on the Enterprise?"
Spock gave it a moment's thought. "The starbase has a similar warp core design as the Enterprise, which delivers a similar energy output, but the starbase does not need the power to move through space. It therefore has the ability to power this simulation… but it would take a ship of considerable size to have a warp core large enough to generate the power necessary to run this program and travel. Or a thus far unknown power source."
"That's a shame," Kirk replied, his mouth moving into a wistful smile. "It'd do wonders for the crew."
"Perhaps in time," Spock allowed, though he thought it unlikely Starfleet would ever condone such energy expenditure on so frivolous a thing. But then again, Spock considered, Starfleet equipped the Enterprise with various other avenues of entertainment, including a bowling alley and swimming pool.
Kirk opened his eyes as McCoy's voice called. The words were unintelligible, however, even to Vulcan hearing, but a moment later the doctor emerged. He was carrying several objects in his arms, and grinning widely.
"What?" Kirk asked.
"Come over here," McCoy ordered as he settled himself onto one of the lounges.
Kirk pushed away from the rail, and Spock was obliged to follow. McCoy was setting a closed basket on the deck, and placing several glasses beside it. He held up a clear glass bottle filled with an amber fluid for inspection, and Kirk smiled.
"I guess you found some medicine, Bones," he said lightly and settled himself onto the center lounge.
"Well, I did find a nausea remedy down there," McCoy answered. "But looks like they equipped the galley with edibles, too." He handed one of the empty glasses to Kirk, and held another out to Spock.
"If that is an alcoholic beverage," Spock began, not accepting the glass. Both humans looked at him, their grins only broadening. "Which appears likely," he added. "I do not wish to partake."
"Spock," McCoy drawled casually, still proffering the glass, and Spock narrowed his eyes warily at the tone. "I wouldn't dream of it." He bent to pick up another bottle, and held it out also. It was an opaque, square container, with markings running along one side that were clearly Vulcan glyphs.
Spock raised an eyebrow, curious despite himself. He accepted the bottle, turning it to read the label. Then, because the doctor was waving it in a rather distracting manner, he took the glass as well.
"I have no idea what that is," McCoy said as he worked to remove the stopper from the other bottle. "But it was in the same cupboard as this brandy, so I just have to know."
"The most accurate translation would be Vulcan Port," Spock informed him.
"Vulcans make wine?" McCoy asked with a startled laugh, then gave a soft grunt as the stopper finally released with a loud pop.
Spock raised a rather prim eyebrow. "For ceremonial purposes, yes."
"Uh huh," McCoy grinned, pouring a measure of the brandy into his glass. He made to do the same to Kirk's, but the captain waved him off. McCoy raised an eyebrow in mild surprise.
"I want to give that a try first," Kirk assured him, and gestured at Spock.
McCoy snorted. "Well, better you than me."
Spock hesitated, glancing down at the dark bottle in his hand and back at the captain again.
Kirk grinned at him. "Spock, this is your first shore leave, with us at least, and I consider this a ceremonial occasion."
Spock glanced at McCoy, who had so far declined to partake of his own drink and was instead watching the two of them with amusement. The captain's notion had some merit, in a round about sort of way, and Spock had never had occasion to sample this product of his home world. He was at least as curious as the captain. He looked again at Kirk, who reached out to pluck the glass out of Spock's hand. His fingers absently curled into his palm for a moment before moving to twist the lid off of the glass bottle.
Kirk held out both glasses and Spock poured a dose into each one before returning the cap and setting the bottle on the deck.
Kirk handed one of the glasses back to him, then raised his own. "To shore leave," he toasted.
"I'll drink to that," McCoy said, and raised his own glass. "Come on, Spock," he added when the Vulcan made no effort to reciprocate.
Kirk tugged at Spock's sleeve until he reluctantly joined his crewmates and three glasses clinked together. McCoy took a hearty gulp of his brandy while Kirk and Spock both took tentative sips of the unknown port. Spock looked up with some alarm as Kirk instantly started sputtering, but McCoy only laughed.
"A bit strong, huh?" the doctor asked.
Kirk licked his lips, and looked down at his glass. "Yes," he agreed, but took another cautious taste.
Spock found the flavor to be fairly mild, but he was aware that the Vulcan sense of taste was not as acute as that of humans. It felt hot in his throat, but not uncomfortably so. The drink reminded him of a mixture of almonds and a tart fruit he had once eaten at a diplomatic event, and he judged it satisfactory. He took a more generous swallow, and glanced at Kirk out of the corner of his eye as he did so.
"Not bad," Kirk added after another careful sip. "Take some getting used to, though."
Spock was at a loss to explain why this pronouncement pleased him.
"What I don't get," McCoy drawled, "is why Vulcans claim to be immune to alcohol, when we all know Romulans are closely related to Vulcans and they're affected by that ale they make so much of."
Spock raised an eyebrow and took another drink. "Romulan ale is a very potent beverage."
McCoy smiled blissfully and nodded. "Yes, yes it is."
"My point, Doctor," Spock continued, "is that it takes a considerable amount of Romulan ale to have the same effect on a Romulan – or a Vulcan - as a relatively small amount of the brandy of which you are so fond of has on humans."
"Well, that's 'cause vulcanian livers are just too efficient. Your loss, in my opinion," McCoy shrugged and finished off his glass.
"I fail to see why you, a physician, insist on speaking of the deleterious effects of alcohol in such a favorable light," Spock said with a slight frown.
"Tell him your theory, Bones," Kirk said with an amused glance.
"Here's my theory," McCoy answered as he poured himself another drink. He glanced at Kirk and noted that the captain was still nursing the port, so he pushed the stopper back into the neck of the bottle and set it aside. "The way I see it, it's survival of the fittest. The weakest brain cells get killed off, and only the strongest survive." McCoy smiled and took a drink. "Which is why I'm a medical genius."
Kirk laughed softly and Spock did not deign to reply to that.
A long, comfortable silence descended while the three men consumed their drinks and watched the simulated sun set in a spectacular display of color. The sky darkened slowly and pinpricks of starlight popped out one by one. T'Khut shone brightly enough above them to cast the decking of the little ship in silvery light bright enough to read by. Still sipping at his drink, Kirk pulled the journal into his lap and began paging through it in curiosity.
"Heh, Nogura signed this a year ago," he laughed after a while. "With some one called Estella." McCoy snorted but didn't comment, and Kirk continued reading.
The boat rocked one way, and Spock the other.
McCoy nearly choked on his drink. "Jim," he whispered, glancing at Kirk. Kirk murmured a sleepily grunt, not looking up from the log as he turned a page. McCoy swatted his shoulder with the back of his hand and pointed at Spock when he had his attention. Kirk's eyes widened in amazement as Spock stared at the deck and swayed in delicate counterpoint to the motion of the ship.
"Spock!" Kirk exclaimed with a laugh.
Spock looked up, not exactly smiling but certainly more relaxed than was customary for the first officer of the Enterprise. "Yes, Jim?"
"I take it back," McCoy said in delight. "Best shore leave ever!"
Kirk grinned at Spock, and had the pleasure of watching Spock's not-smile widen just a bit into what could be called a genuine look of amusement. The man had dimples. Kirk suddenly burst out laughing. It wasn't like he'd never seen Spock smile before, so it really shouldn't be that funny. Kirk laughed harder.
"You know," McCoy commented, "that must be some mighty strong stuff."
"Yeah," Kirk agreed as he managed to get his mirth under control. He set the glass on the deck. "Catches up with you all of a sudden."
"I am inebriated," Spock said with perfect clarity, both eyebrows raised in astonishment. Kirk rubbed a hand across his mouth and started laughing again.
McCoy leveled an accusing finger at Spock. "So much for not being effected by alcohol," he teased happily.
Spock nodded quietly. "Yes," he replied, "it would appear I am not quite Vulcan enough." He said it calmly, but there was a very definite quality of disappointment in his voice as he stared down at his empty glass.
McCoy's smile slipped, and he glanced at Kirk. But the captain didn't see the look, for he was gazing sadly at his friend. Kirk reached out and pulled the bottle from Spock's unresisting grasp. "Well, Spock," Kirk said quietly, "I think you got the best of both worlds is all." Spock's eyes were half closed as Kirk set the bottle on the deck. McCoy rooted through the basket until he found something that looked like a fruit. Spock took the offering without comment and ate quietly while Kirk and McCoy settled themselves comfortably on the lounge chairs.
McCoy glanced at Kirk after a few minutes, and noted that he had fallen asleep. The log book lay open across his stomach, one hand resting on top of it and the other dangling loosely over the edge of the lounge. McCoy looked over at Spock, intent on making a snarky remark, but the words died in his throat. Spock was regarding the captain with a gentle look of affection that McCoy knew beyond all doubt was never supposed to be seen, by anyone. And just this one time, he couldn't bring himself to call the Vulcan out on it.
Instead, he heaved a sigh. "About damn time, too," he groused. Spock's face instantly went back to normal, as though he'd completely forgotten McCoy was there. "Damn fool felt he just had to be on the bridge to keep the ship from falling apart." McCoy stretched his arms over his head and yawned. He scratched at the back of his neck as he got to his feet. "He'll be fine there, but I'm gonna head below for some sleep. I'd tell you to get some rest too, but I'd be wasting my time. 'Night, Spock."
"Good night, doctor," Spock replied as McCoy shuffled down the steps that led below.
The disturbing effects of the alcohol were fading from his system as his body processed the toxin, and Spock was pleased that he wasn't totally disabled by the beverage. Within an hour, he was not able to detect any sign of ill effects. Spock found himself watching his captain sleep, the log book rising and falling with each breath. After a moment, he reached for the book and quietly picked it up. Kirk did not stir, and so Spock took a moment to study it. The logbook, and its pages, were made to look like old style leather and paper. Spock noted as he ran a curious finger over the surface that the pages were smooth and constructed of a durable substance that was probably waterproof and stain resistant.
He turned to the last page with writing. There was James T. Kirk, written in the familiar large, square letters that Spock saw daily while performing his duties. Below it was an untidy scrawl that was presumably McCoy's signature. Spock glanced from his captain to the stairwell. Spock would later attribute his next illogical action to the alcohol that was no longer in his system, but at the moment he was motivated by a strange sensation of… He could not define it.
He lifted the writing implement and signed the seldom used Vulcan symbol that represented his name in his own tongue to the right of Kirk's.
Spock regarded the book for a long moment before closing it and setting it on the deck at his feet. T'Khut was slowly setting into the ocean of water, a sight that would never be seen on Vulcan. Perhaps this was indeed the best of both worlds. In the morning, he would return to the science labs until the Enterprise was fit to return to duty. He was certain that Kirk and McCoy would quickly descend into the depths of debauchery shortly thereafter.
But for now… perhaps shore leave was not such a bad way to spend one's time.
~ Fini