Author's Note:
This fic is based on the episode The Apple. It might not be a bad idea to read a recap of the episode, but it's not totally necessary. You may notice that I've changed the dialog somewhat to make the end scene flow into the rest of the story, but the tone ought to be the same. Anyway, I'll shut up for now. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own Star Trek or any of these characters. They are the property of Gene Rodenberry, Paramount, and Max Ehrlich who wrote the episode of TOS that inspired this fic.
My First Officer is the Devil: Part 1
"I don't agree with you at all, Mr. Spock"
"That's not unusual, Doctor."
Captain James T. Kirk walks ahead of his two senior officers inwardly groaning at what will undoubtedly be another one of their arguments. Oftentimes, Kirk manages to find some humor in them, but not today. Today there are larger troubles weighing on him.
"Hey Jim, I want you to hear this." McCoy says reaching out to Kirk. He grabs the Captain's arm and spins him around to face the pair.
Kirk rolls his eyes and tilts his head to the left. "Proceed, Mr. Spock."
"Captain, I am not at all certain that we did the right thing on Gamma Trianguli VI" Spock says calmly and without hesitation. He states it plainly, as a statement of fact, but Kirk searches his First Officer's face carefully for signs of condemnation and regret. Particularly, for any emotion directed at himself, but as usual, if there is anything, it remains hidden behind the Vulcan's serene gaze.
McCoy, however, is less controlled. "We put those people back on a normal course of social evolution! I see nothing wrong with that." His words are sharp. Bitter. And this time, Kirk agrees with his medical officer in principal.
"Well that's a good object lesson, Mr. Spock. As an example of what can happen when a machine becomes too efficient. Does too much work for you." It's straight forward and the kind of logical explanation that the Vulcan should agree with.
But now Spock hesitates. "Captain, you are aware of the biblical story of Genesis?"
"Yes, of course I am aware of it. Adam and Eve tasted the apple and as a result were driven out of paradise." Another time, on another mission, it was Kirk making a similar analogy to describe their experiences on Omicron Ceti III. Where is he going with this, Kirk wonders.
"Precisely, Captain, and in a manner of speaking we have given the people of Vaal the Apple - the knowledge of Good and Evil if you will. As a result of which, they too have been driven out of paradise."
Spock says this, looking down at the Captain, and although outwardly his facial expression does not change, there a hardness in his voice and manner of standing.
Kirk lifts his chin. "Doctor, do I understand him correctly? Are you casting me in the role of the Satan?" Kirk says with a smile more wry than innocent.
Despite this smile, the captain is not at all happy. His body aches after a night spent lying awake on the hard ground trying to think up a plan to save his ship. It has been a long 48 hours and a terrifying experience for all 438 members of the Enterprise, not including the valuable crewmen whose bodies rest in sick bay awaiting funerary rites when their captain is cleared to return to duty. The thought of which brings on a dull ache in his chest.
So when Spock inadvertently sticks his neck out, Kirk leaps on the opportunity to release some pent-up emotion with the veracity of a starving wolf. After all, when one needs to vent some misdirected anger, there really is no one better than a Vulcan to take it all in stride and not get offended.
"No, Captain, not at all." Spock straightens to his full height and folds his hand behind his back. McCoy and Kirk look at each other knowingly. To those not well acquainted with the Vulcan, he cuts a very large and imposing figure when he stands like this; however, it is also a defensive position for him. Spock knows what is coming. He's waiting – preparing his mental defenses for the attack.
"No, no. I think that's exactly what you did, Mr. Spock." Kirk says sliding up to Spock's right side. He tilts his chin up and resists the urge to rock forward onto his toes to make himself appear taller. It is damn infuriating sometimes that evolution saw fit to endow the Vulcan race with their superior height. "Did you hear it, Bones?"
"I suuure did, Jim" McCoy says at Spock's left.
Spock's black eyes make a circuit over Kirk's upper body – studying him while he waits for the verbal blow. Kirk is the clear threat and ring-leader behind this game. Not Dr. McCoy.
"Isn't there someone else on this ship who even remotely looks like Satan? What do you think, Mr. Spock?" Kirk says. He smiles wider now.
The whip is cracked and shockingly, there is a response. "I am not aware of anyone who fits that description, Sir." Spock says as he crosses his arms in front of his chest. If Spock were human, Kirk would say he looked rather annoyed.
I've got you this time, Spock.
"Hhuuh," Kirk says as if his mind were elsewhere reeling over ship manifests and crew logs. "Really? I could have sworn there was somebody. Bones? Anyone come to mind?" Kirk asks and leans across Spock's chest to address the doctor.
"Oh, I don't know, but I seem recall that there might be one such person who fits the bill."
Spock turns his head looking down the corridor towards the bridge and away from his colleagues. "I can assure you both that there is not. I am familiar with every living organism presently aboard the Enterprise. I can list them all for you, Captain, perhaps after Doctor McCoy has signed off on your medical clearance."
Kirk sighs. You slippery half-man. Clearly Spock is not going to give any ground today. One would have thought that after having been shot full poisonous darts, struck by lightning, and forced to stay up all night with his troubled Captain, a man might be just a little unhinged…just a little. But no, not Spock.
"No, not Spock." Kirk mumbles under his breath forgetting that his First Officer can still hear him with his heightened Vulcan auditory abilities. He shakes off his disappointment and slaps Spock playfully across the shoulder. "Well, I'm sure you're right, Mr. Spock, but if you happen to see someone like that on-board report him to me instantly. Is that understood?"
Spock's left eybrow raises. It is the only expression the Vulcan seems capable of on any regular basis. "Affirmative, Captain." Spock finally says. He waits until Kirk and McCoy begin to leave, and turns in the opposite direction heading, most likely, for his quarters.
"Well that was fun. I assume you'll want to check-in on the bridge, but Jim, after that, I want you to go right to bed."
Kirk's smile fades in seconds. "Bones…," he warns. Sleep is the farthest thing from this mind right now.
"Don't fight me, Jim. As your Doctor, I am insisting. That ordeal we went through down there was hellish, and I know how these things affect you. Mallory's death? Just terrible. But you've got to think about your stress levels and what they're doing to your body." McCoy was of course, not referring to any physical injuries sustained by Captain Kirk, but to the mental toll the deaths of four men had taken on him.
Four men. Dammit.
"Yeah." Kirk says promising nothing. A skill he excels at.
Four men are dead because I was too proud and self-absorbed to see the warning signs.
"I mean it, Jim. Don't make me order a guard to confine you to quarters until you get a good night's sleep. I'll do it, and I'll get Spock to help me if I have to."
His quarters. Kirk rubs his shoulder suddenly aware of the exhaustion that has set into his muscles. Yes, he should go lie down, but in his quarters he would sleep. He would dream, and there would be nightmares.
The distinguished Captain of one of Starfleet's most prestigious ships has three great secrets. The first - nightmares so terrible that that he wakes up retching some nights from the terrible physical and emotional pain he endures under the control of his subconscious mind. It could end his career if it were common knowledge by casting doubt on whether he was were for duty. It could rip him from his crew and friends and that frightens Kirk. That is his first secret, but not the worst.
So far he has managed to keep mention of this problem out of the psych evaluations. The trade-off however is dealing with Bones acting like a mother-hen when it comes to his health and stress levels. Kirk doesn't want to go back to his quarters, but he does want to get out from under McCoy's examining eyes.
Kirk pivots on the heels of his boots and begins walking in the opposite direction of the bridge.
McCoy stumbles in surprise. "Jim, where are you going? The bridge is that way!"
Kirk waves him off. "I thought I might save you some trouble by going to see Spock about those guards that you want him to sic on me. Don't worry about it, Bones. I'm sure Spock will assign the very best men to the task."
"Pfft! Dammit, Jim." McCoy snorted as the Captain chases after his First Officer. "I am sure he will,"
Author's Note:
Hope you enjoyed Part 1! I'm pretty new to Star Trek so hopefully the characters weren't too OOC.
Also, my apologies if you just weren't digging the 3rd person present. I've been experimenting with POVs lately as a writing exercise and 3rd person present has been something of an Everest. What did you think? If you totally hated it, that's okay too. I would love to hear your feedback.
This fic will be completed in two parts. I'll get right to work on the next part. Thanks so much for reading!