For some time James Kirk stood still as soon as he had taken three steps from the turbolift. This was his ship, this bridge, his crew. This was his home. He had worked hard and proven that he was the captain of this ship. He was the leader of these people. He had met up with most of his senior bridge crew two days before when they had first been allowed back aboard her and saw the changes. They were now getting ready to actually test the changes. Slowly he walked to the new chair that replaced the one he had known so well. As he sat down it started to feel all so familiar and welcoming. Here, in the command seat on the bridge of the U.S.S. Enterprise was here he belonged.
They had just been at Starbase Ten for a refit after their last encounter and were ready to go out again, out where they belonged. Although this was just a short four day shake-down trip to check the repair and refit his senior bridge crew were all they should be Kirk felt a swelling of pride as he looked around at how every member of the crew was at their station and ready. Their last time on the bridge together had not been pleasant, but they all accepted that such encounters and the results of such encounters were part of the life they had each freely chosen for have. It was clear that they had all forgiven him for his last gross in judgement.
All? No, he had not seen McCoy on the ship but knew he would be busy in Sickbay. Although McCoy had been somewhat furious and off-hand when they had talked in the hospital Kirk knew his old friend would be aboard and down in Sickbay, no doubt complaining about this or that not being exactly how he wanted it.
And Spock, Kirk quickly looked around the bridge again and shook his head. Spock was still not at his post but since the incident they had not had a chance to talk over the events nor what modifications would be given to the ship. Kirk half-smiled to himself as he was certain that Spock, being the perfectionist he was, would be down personally checking the status of all departments in order to give him a full and detailed report of the ship's true status. It was only as he realized that there was a strange, yet familiar, officer at the Science Station where he usually looked for Spock's reassuring nod, that he became aware of the strange uneasiness about the bridge, something he had not experienced while still at a Starbase.
He remembered that he had experienced that uneasiness briefly in the hospital and the doctors and those who had visited him had told him it was most likely because he wanted to get back on his ship and back out pushing the boundaries. He had given his report of the incident and been cleared of all responsibility for the damage to twenty percent of the ship and praised for the way he had trained his crew to be able to take over and bring it to a Starbase for repair. His crew. His crew had visited him and kept him current on the repairs to the ship. His crew, from his senior officers to the youngest ensign, had been in at some time during the seven weeks they were there to see him.
Seven weeks away from his ship. He had been unconscious for six weeks, mainly thanks to McCoy keeping him in a coma while his body healed and his ship was repaired. He still had no full recollection of precisely what happened but Command had found what he reported was sufficient and commented that as he recalled more and more he could inform them. His report was well supported by what was reported by the others. As he looked around some of what happened had come back but it seemed it was to another person and he knew he was missing something, that there was something important he was missing, but the specialists and McCoy had told him not to force it, to let it come back as it did naturally. Suggestions had been made that he should view all the reports before he returned to the ship but he had said he would review them after the shake-down trip as he wanted to concentrate on making sure the Enterprise and the new crew members were ready after the repair and refit. He had seen how Commodore Fields had looked at McCoy who had nodded and been pleased that they seemed to agree on that.
At first he had thought that the uneasiness might be because of something he could not remember but at the back of his mind Kirk was prepared for some sort of surprise party, or at least a big surprise, from the way the crew had been. In the past there had been a similar unease whenever they planned some sort of surprise for him so he was certain that the unease had to do with some sort of surprise they were all keeping from him. He relaxed slightly at the thought of the unease being caused by the crew not wanting him to find out about the surprise.
The more he thought about the likelihood of the unease being a surprise event the more both McCoy and Spock not being there seemed to make sense. While the two of them may seem like warring factions to many he knew that it was just their way of showing a friendship neither would openly admit to. The one thing he was sure of was that the feeling of unease was bound to vanish when both of them came to the bridge.
He got up and slowly walked around the bridge, stopping at every station to ensure they were are he remembered them. There had been no major changes and it was all so familiar. This was his ship.
At the Science Station he stopped and looked at the officer who stood to attention. "Science Officer Keith Williams, Sir."
"You have worked with Mister Spock in the Science Department and know his expectations, correct?"
"Yes, Sir. It was a great honor that he thought so highly of me and noted his thoughts on my record so that the First Officer had no hesitation in assigning me to this posting."
For a moment Kirk looked at the man and thought it odd that he was talking of Spock as though he were two different people. Spock was both the First Officer and the Chief Science Officer so perhaps Williams was right in treating the two positions like that but it seemed odd. It was something that Spock did, allowed junior officers gain hands-on experience in different capacities and in different areas when there was no imminent danger. Clearly he thought Officer Williams was able to man the Science Station in his place while he inspected the other departments as the First Officer.
He half-smiled as he turned to his Communications Officer, "Lieutenant Uhura, please have the First Officer report to me immediately."
It had to have been the way he had asked for the First Officer and not Spock that had made Uhura give him the odd look but if Spock was going to play the two position role he would find his Captain could play it as well. As he turned to his chair he heard Uhura make the ship-wide request but did not see the looks that were exchanged with Sulu and Chekov.
When he heard the turbolift's doors open Kirk started, "I don't suppose, First Officer, that you would care to explain your actions in appointing Officer Keith Williams as Science Officer without," he stopped as a man he had briefly seen on Starbase Ten walked up to stand before him, a man he recalled something being said about him being a First Officer but there were four other ships in and he had thought the man was a First Officer on one of them.
In the momentary stillness he was aware of Uhura's quiet voice and it sounded like M'Benga but he was trying to figure out how far Spock was going to let this charade go. Over time he had played more than enough practical jokes on the Vulcan but he had not been aware that Spock could plan one as intricate as this one.
"First Officer Steven Sanchez reporting as requested, Captain." Obviously the man had misread his expressing of being impressed with how far Spock would let this play out with one of confusion as the man quickly added, "If you recall Admiral Wayne Rauzi introduced me to you on base. It is a real honor to have this position on this ship. I will try to maintain the high standards that Mister Spock maintained, but I,"
Kirk almost laughed and shook his head as I held up his hand, "I know what you are going to say, that you are only human. Spock sure has taught you and Williams well and rehearsed it so thoroughly it seems almost real. You are both,"
"No disrespect, Sir, but we are both who and what we say we are. Neither of us has been able to see Mister Spock. Our orders came directly from Admiral Davis, Sir. As soon as he heard about the incident he contacted me to get here so that I could assist with the refit and prepare to be the First Officer."
Jim Kirk just stood looking at the man as he realized he was not part of some joke. He stood trying to think what he last said to Spock but it was lost in that vague blank he had stemming from the, the, the what? He had been told there had been a series of explosions but he had no memory of any of that. As he stood looking at the man Kirk realized he could not even remember when he had last seen Spock. McCoy had been with him when he came out from the medicated state he had kept him in for six weeks and told him he was going to be just fine, that he was keeping him in for a day or two and then he could go back to the ship. McCoy had not said anything about Spock.
Slowly he sat down, suddenly feeling more lost than he could remember. There were too many things he did not know, so many things he could not remember, so many things he had not been told, and neither McCoy nor Spock were there to help him.
"Captain, I need you to come with me." Kirk looked up and recognized Doctor M'Benga. "Now, Captain."
Almost without thinking Kirk followed him, barely noticing, again, the looks exchanged among Uhura, Sulu, and Chekov. and not seeing how First Officer Steven Sanchez took the command seat. All he was doing was trying to remember, trying to fit the fragments he could remember together.
They entered Sickbay and M'Benga had him sit at the desk as he flicked a switch and on the screen was McCoy.
"Bones, what's going on? You should be aboard already. I do not know where Spock is but when I find him,"