Spock changed into his civilian uniform.
He had to take one more peak at the photograph.
The young Vulcan slid it open once more.
Nyota, with her grayed afro hair style. McCoy, with his graying brown hair. His colleague would embrace becoming an old man. Scotty's hair was a silver color. Pavel, Hikaru, his elder, and Jim all looked youthful compared to the three. It made complete sense why his counterpart had encouraged him to stay in star fleet. Growing old together with the people who loved him, cared about him, and treated him as family. This was where he belonged. His natural habitat. He was an outcast no more around them. He could see the odd uniforms coming in eventually but they were so navy like that they did not represent the career tracks they were in. He visualized the colors differently: blue for Spock and McCoy. Golden and red for the rest.
Spock felt emotional closing device then placed it into his pocket.
The Vulcan made his way out of the assigned quarters.
"Don't forget to be there at the party!" McCoy hollered.
Spock turned, slightly in the doctor's direction with a raised eyebrow.
"How would I forget?" Spock inquired.
The doctor shrugged.
"I thought ya would be busy, that is all," McCoy said.
"What happened to your other necklace?" Spock asked.
"Ah, didn't make it," McCoy said, shaking his head. "did not survive the crash. Everythin' gone," he smiled. "but I still got my daughter's photograph. . . ah, so you are not writin' up a report?"
"I have learned that enjoying life is better than ignoring it," Spock said.
McCoy nodded.
"A wise sayin'," McCoy said. "this entire mission was like a 'what a wonderful life'."
"Except there were no angels in this case," Spock said.
"We all had angels around us on Altamid makin' sure we got to save forty thousand lives," McCoy said. "I am goin' to find the others," he straightened his dark gray jacket then flashed a calming, easy smile at the Vulcan. "See ya later, alligator!"
The human vanished taking a turn.
Spock made his way to the market place with a pocket full of federation credits.
If anything, the doctor should be given an item to replace his old necklace.
He passed by several kind of silverware, bracelets, and necklaces.
To show his respect and affection for the doctor.
He scanned the table looking for the right one.
It had to hit the doctors approval.
It was the Vulcan custom that gifts could not be returned.
So it had to be something that would make the doctor not give it back right away.
There were necklaces that had the rounded marble resembling different planets. Even one that resembled his former home planet, Vulcan, with the texture. Andoria was among them with its white snow like appearance. And so was more Earth like planets. He saw a small necklace that had two pair of wings with a small figure between them in a small dress. He recognized it as a Pyrrha. A carpe diem Necklace. He looked up to see the sign: SMALL VOKAYA IMPLANTED NECKLACES. The Vulcan's eyebrows rose then looked down the row to see that he had passed a majority of the normal necklaces on his urgent search for a replacement for the doctors previous small necklace. It was small and rounded. He turned the necklace over to see a small blue green gem in the back that was flat then he lowered it down onto the soft fabric.
Spock turned toward the vender.
"Pyrrha, please," Spock took out a couple federation credits.
"One hundred twenty credits," the vender packaged it up into a small square box with the necklace resting on the top. "sorry pal, these are hard to come by."
"One hundred twenty credits," Spock repeated, handing them to the vender.
"Your girlfriend will like it," the vender said. "I would."
"I am not currently taken," Spock said.
"Oh, sorry about that," the vender apologized. "sign the padd, please."
Spock picked up the small pen along the padd then jotted down his name.
"Done," Spock said, tapping on the submit button.
"Thank you and have a nice day," the vender smiled, brightly back, handing the product.
"Live long and prosper," Spock replied, giving the ta'al salute.
"Peace and long life," the vender said, then watched the star fleet officer vanish from his perspective.
"Mr Spock," Scotty said, meeting up the Vulcan. "ye look dashin' in the shirt."
"Indeed," Spock said, noticing the scotsman held a padd in one hand. "Did you find Miss Jaylah?"
"Aye," Scotty said, with a nod. "Hikaru and his family let her stay overnight."
"That is pleasing to hear," Spock said.
"And I had to buy Kevin a shirt," Scotty said. "still dinnae like pants."
The Vulcan looked down to see the small walking creature walking alongside Scotty with Keenser acting as a dog.
Keenser was licking away at a ice cream cone.
"Have you seen the doctor?" Spock inquired.
"Still lookin' for Pavel and his new boyfriend and girlfriend," Scottyshook his free hand. "ye can find them in the summer shopping section. Or the winter section," Scotty shrugged. "whichever one has the lon' sleeve ugly v-necked shirts."
"I will take that under advisement," Spock said, passing by on duty star fleet officers in starbase uniform. "where is the nearest mall?"
"Go down straight three blocks, use one site tae site transporter, take a turn left, go straight, take a turn tae the left of the statue tae Loki's horse, turn left, turn right, and go straight," Scotty said. "the rollin' stair case will brin' ya up there."
"I thought they had left it hours ago," Spock said.
"Nae," Scotty said, lowering his black sunglasses then scanned the Vulcan. "ya might look better than Pasha when ye come across him," he looked off toward a female figure in a blue and gray starbase uniform with women in golden variations. "I got a date tae meet up with. See ye at the party?"
"I will see you at the party, Mr Scott," Spock said, with a nod then parted ways from the scotsman.
"Romaine!" Scotty called after the woman with a delighted smile.
The Vulcan finally made his way to the section where McCoy and Pavel with other people of different species were gathered. Spock came to a pause watching the man come out in a blue green like but purple shirt that looked like it was inside out. The Vulcan blinked trying to make sure if logic was not fooling him or had broken. He looked over to see the racks of attire hanging on the hanger on silver, clean metal. They were different variations of what appeared to be a inside out shirt then he turned his head in the direction of the group. There was a Loche and a Gangorian sitting side by side in big comfortable chairs.
McCoy had one hand cupping the side of his face looking at the man like he was watching a pleasant drag queen contest.
"That looks excellent on ya," McCoy said.
"I agree," the female Gangorian, Kuhlo, said.
"It looks ugly on you," Kuristov, the male Loche, said.
"It looks fitting on you, Mr Chekov," Spock said. "do not listen to haters of your style."
Heads turned in the direction of Spock.
"Ah, thank you," Pavel said, with a reassured smile. "I am buying this!"
Pavel ducked back into the changing room.
"Spock!" McCoy stood up from the chair. "What brin's ya here?"
"I have a gift for you," Spock said. "since you have lost your belongings due to the crash. . . it became logical to gift you."
"Aww," Kuristov said.
"No one did that to me when I lost my house," Kuhlo grumbled.
"That is thoughtful of ya," McCoy said.
Spock opened the case.
"Will you accept this token of my respect and affection for you?" Spock realized too late it sounded like a proposal. And a 'will you be my boyfriend' kind of question'.
McCoy smiled as he saw the item then looked up toward Spock with his eyes light up.
"A carpe diem!" McCoy said. "That's my catchphrase," he slid the necklace out from the container. "can ya help me snap it?"
"As you wish," Spock said, then turned to the man's back.
"Thanks," McCoy said, holding the two parts of the necklace chain around his neck.
"My pleasure," Spock said, as his fingers briefly brushed against the man's neck sending a shiver up the man's spine. Spock could hear the man's thoughts that were warm and cozy toward the Vulcan. "my apologies for touching you," then clipped the two parts of the necklace chain together on the back of McCoy's neck. Spock stepped back as the man turned around feeling the small, rounded object resting on his chest. Spock's hands were locked behind his back with the closed object in his other hand.
"It's fine," McCoy said. A part of Spock was relieved that the human ignored how his request sounded. The doctor looked up toward the Vulcan. "is it safe to say that ya decided to get me what ya got her?"
"No," Spock said. "it is not. I would never invade your privacy in that manner. Or track you. Like an animal."
"Tagging and tossin' into the wild for scientific research," McCoy said. "for some reason, that sounds more amusin' than losin' Nyota all the time in malls and havin' to use that thin' to find her."
"I never had the luxery of losing her in that manner," Spock said.
McCoy was amused.
"Is she comin'?" McCoy asked.
"I believe she will," Spock said.
"That's great," McCoy said, as Pavel came out of the changing room with a shirt and pants on his forearm.
"I am ready for the party!" Pavel cheerfully said.
"I hate parties," Kuhlo said.
"What kind of birthday party is it?" Kuristov asked.
"Kaptain's," Pavel said.
"See you later, Pasha!" Kuhlo and Kuristove said, going off.
McCoy looked down toward his watch.
"Gotta go," McCoy said. "got a fake date to arrange to brin' Jim out to the party," he lowered his hand. "Fifteen minutes!"
"I'll be ready," Pavel said.
McCoy looked over uneasy toward the Vulcan's direction in concern for the man.
"I will make sure he gets there without being distracted," Spock said.
"Good," McCoy said, then he walked away. "I will see ya there!"
"Where do you get those shirts from?" Pavel asked. "You go great with that color."
"I will gladly inform you the aesthetically pleasing attire section after the party," Spock said.
Pavel frowned.
"Oh, so it is going to be that vay," Pavel said, rolling an eye as the two took a slow but different path to the self check out area.
"As your colleague, I am obligated you make it on time," Spock said. "I understand there may be friends of crewmembers attending."
"Let's go!" Pavel said, zipping past the Vulcan.
And Spock felt pleased that McCoy didn't give it back to him.
Purchased, packaged, and delivered: successfully.
The End.