A/N- Okay I hold my hands up, I have some major apologies to make for the extreme lateness of this chapter. A few weeks ago I went on holiday and (wrongly) assumed that I would have internet access. I didn't and I apologize. I returned a couple of days ago and rushed to get this chapter out which by all rights should have been out ages ago.

On a happier note I must thank all who took the time to review, you guys are just AMAZING! I got some great feedback and I hope I've done you all justice in this next chapter. Reviews are very important as they help me into the next chapter, this is my first fic that isn't in first person (you can probably tell) and I feel like I'm jumping in blind into each chapter. So your opinions are very important to me in order to write.

This is a Kirk-centric chapter and I truly hope you enjoy it.

Foundations

Chapter 2

Deep within the bowels of the grand USS Enterprise, two uniformed men were making their way though the labyrinth of pipes and towers of humming machinery in a methodical fashion.

The moods of these two men could not have differed more at this point in time. One, clothed in red walked slightly ahead of the other, displaying not superiority but passion for their surroundings, exuding an air of fervor.

He displayed every sign of being both delighted and content with his current situation. Skimming his hands on the sides of every control panel they passed, lightly patting some of the more protruding pieces of high tech-ery in their path- yes, he was clearly a man in his most natural and beloved of habitats, the kind that ought to make those passing smile at his exuding happiness, being themselves rather graciously happy for him.

But the second man quite obviously did not adhere to this common reaction, as he could only be described as looking as though he was in physical pain to have found himself on these particular set of decks.

Kirk was feeling sullen (or as close to sullen as he can truly get) and somewhat sorry for himself. While Scotty bounded ahead of him, chattering some half intelligible nonsense about the backward thrusters or hyper-inter-quantum-something-or-other Kirk was silent, having on his mind only one thing- how in the hell had he let himself get down here anyway?

And it was of course everybody's fault but his. But in that wide group of suspects one in particular was receiving the brunt of his mental tirade. And it was not for the first time that his, now first officer had been in such a position in Kirk's mind.

On this particular occasion it was a mixture of Spock's unflappable logic and Kirk's own pride that got him sent to a place in which he wished to run for his life. This time from the Chief engineer's seemingly unstoppable techno-babble, previously from giant ice dwelling monsters, Kirk couldn't decide which was worse.

He had returned from the bridge much in the same state as when he left it, bored to tears and contemplating ditching the rest of his shift for better and brighter prospects in the field of irritating Bones into that hyper-exasperated state in which that peculiar and elusive vein in his forehead makes a rare appearance.

Some of the bridge crew where still on their lunch break, having started later than Kirk, including his communications officer and his stoic Vulcan semi-friend. A lot of their breaks appeared to coincide with one another, but he had learnt his lesson in not remarking his observations aloud for fear of the undoubtedly cruel and unusual punishments to follow (from Uhura, not Spock, she was definitely the scarier of the two in his books, by a long shot).

He had started to pace around the bridge having already made his way around the diminished staff and slumping back into his chair to find that he was becoming rather sick of staring at the back of that Russian kid's head- and judging from the increasing frequency of nervous glances he was receiving from the young navigator, he was none too fond of it either.

The doors hissed to announce the arrival of the charming Lt. Uhura. Despite almost certainly having dined with Spock they never returned together, as though only certain areas of the ship were deemed appropriate for them being seen in each others company. An invisible barrier having been set up outside entrance to the bridge.

He secretly thought it odd that they considered scheduling breaks together an action that could be passed off as the behaviour of work colleagues and nothing else but to arrive at their place of work at the same time, one with relatively few staff members compared to other, more populated sections of the ship, as suspicion rousing activity.

Or at least he hoped it wasn't considered suspicious, after all he had just entered with Sulu, and the last thing he needed were more of those kinds of rumors spawning.

Just as he was beginning to wonder when Spock was going to show his face- undoubtedly standing outside entrance to the Bridge, eyes at a clock face, waiting for the appropriate number of minutes to pass- when the pointy eared man himself strode in, taking the most direct path from door to station as possible.

Anyone else might have missed the little signs, or else misinterpreted them. The way Uhura, head still bent over her control panel would follow the science officer with her eyes. The way, when seated Spock's own gaze would flicker in her direction and both would simultaneously move back to their separate work.

Kirk was, among other things, a good natured soul. He just didn't have it in him to feel bitterly towards the strange couple. And as such he was truly happy for them. He enjoyed seeing the (dare he say) tenderness that would occasionally overcome the usually chilled expression of the Vulcan.

The treat of seeing the soft smiles of Uhura, a face who he himself had not experienced much in the way of joy from, where also a pleasure to behold.

But another overwhelming feature of his was pure, unadulterated stubbornness. He loathed to let anything go without a fight and he couldn't deny that for all the acid remarks and derisive looks he had received from her and had playfully ignored, he really had believed that she would eventually come around.

Yield to what though he couldn't be sure, a small, often suppressed part of him would like to say that she was different from the usual and he would be different. But another, more dominant and realistic side had to concede that perhaps after the thrill of the chase it might end the same way as any of his other such endeavors- pleasant but ultimately indistinct.

Well, there was nothing to be done about it now.

On a whim he ambled over to his first officer's station behind him, hoping that he might provide some form of distraction. Kirk came up to the stiff figure and gave him hard pat on the shoulder by way of greeting. For Spock's credit he didn't even flinch, much less throw off his bothersome Captain.

"I believe I requested that you refrain from doing that Jim, and yet this is the eighth occasion since."

Despite the cool words Kirk could detect no malice, in fact a quiet amusement rested in his eyes. Their friendship was new, very new and unstable at best, but they were definitely making progress, slow as it may be. And he was still using his first name. That was a good sign.

"Now, now Spock, just when will you learn that the art of horseplay is both ancient and revered. To be respected and upheld as tradition entails. Give it time I guess you'll see its value some day."

"I highly doubt that Jim, is there something you wish to discuss?" Conversations with the Commander often played out this way, despite the brisk answers given by him they could often go on for quite a while.

"Oh, so many things, but so little time in which to discuss them. But if you insist why don't I just pull up a chair and we'll just settle down for the afternoon." Suddenly he was in a bantering frame of mind, a little more spry than usual. It must have been the rush of human(ish) interaction without shop talk.

However much a raised eyebrow alone constituted as an adequate response from Spock he also replied.

"As appealing as that sounds I believe that our shifts are far from the over and that we are both required to remain at our stations until the authorized shift end."

"Well Spock, I don't know about you about you but I'm still carrying out my duties. Have you never heard of making rounds about your staff? It's regulation practice for a Captain like myself. Why I'd be a pretty shoddy Captain-"An almost inaudible cough came from the direction of the communications hub which he decided to ignore for now. "-if I didn't check up on my crew's wellbeing every now and then."

"Well then perhaps you would like to check up on the rest of the crew, as I assure you I am at perfect accordance and necessitate none of your consideration in such a matter."

Kirk grinned, almost overbearingly in Spock's direction, he was having fun now. Just as her he was to answer his ever so slightly condescending lower ranking officer Uhura decided to give her opinion. She could never resist correcting Kirk, even now.

"Are you not supposed to bother crew members unless given a cause for concern? And besides Captain, don't you have better things to do, like actually doing some Captaining."

She had angled her chair to the side so as to better face him, and by association Spock. She had the exact same look on her face as she did back at the Academy, in the few classes they shared, when she would turn around in her seat and tell him to shut the hell up and stop bothering their peers. Shaking himself out of these fond memories he was able to reply.

"But this is such a vital part of Captaining, and I should know. And anyway everyone's getting along fine for the moment- Right Helmsman!" Kirk called across the Bridge to Sulu who swiftly turned around looking bewildered at the shout in the sedate atmosphere that was.

"What? What's wrong?!"

"See, he knows what he's doing." Kirk said with undeserved smugness. Uhura looked utterly unconvinced as did Spock. The pair shared a brief look that Kirk was not offended by, he was used to it by now.

"Well if you are adamant in performing your more obscure duties then it is not our place to state otherwise."

Well that wasn't what he was expecting, but before he could bemoan the lack of struggle Spock spoke up again.

"You do remember the proper procedures you must follow if you wish to carry out rounds about the ship?"

Come to think of it, he didn't. He did know a lot about proper Starfleet regulation, it was handy throwing people off who assumed from his cavalier attitude that he didn't know any better (he did, he just chose to ignore it). He was curious now, but didn't really want to show it.

"Of course I do. But uh, why don't you tell me first, I have to keep you on your toes you know."

Uhura openly sighed and Kirk knew he was being obvious, but his pride insisted that he at least tried to pretend he knew what he was talking about half the time.

"Certainly. As you know a Captain must make his way deck by deck, starting of course with those under the most pressure and demand aboard the ship- Engineering."

Well Spock could never be accused of drawing anything out. A slightly horrified look passed Kirk's face which Uhura caught without hesitation.

"What's the matter Captain, didn't want this? Don't tell me you thought it would be all irritating Bridge members did you? We have to be reasonable you know, give everyone their fair share."

And with that Kirk had no choice but to haul himself over to the most dreaded of decks or else risk losing valuable face in front of Uhura and Spock. He probably could have got out of it, but he was always especially aware of any decrease in masculinity in the presence of Uhura, it had always been this way.

He also could have supposed, if he weren't in such agony right now, that Spock wasn't really to blame, but he was suffering and really needed someone other than himself to be held responsible.

Kirk was pulled out of his brooding thoughts when Scotty began abruptly shouting at a young engineer.

"What do yer think ya doin' laddie?! Ya canna turn the dilithium chamber to such an force! Do ya want to put the ship into overdrive?!"

The engineer looked suitably admonished and made the corrections as swiftly as if held at phaser point. Kirk shot Scotty a curious look, almost glad for the young man's mistake as it provided some slight interest.

"These bloody newbie crew members, don't know an impulse engine from a hole in the ground." Kirk didn't quite know what to say to that, so for once he remained silent.

Indeed there were many new members of crew about, especially in engineering. Statistically it was the area with the highest turnover aboard a ship, it was more likely that those in engineering got themselves killed or injured, they suffered among the greatest amounts of stress, being responsible for the safety of all the crew. Particularly after the Enterprise's first and most recent excursion it appeared that almost all the crew in the lower decks had been replaced.

In this particular section the layout was that of many layers of overlapping walkways above the ground floor. Looking up Kirk could see the soles of the crewmember's shoes as the walked above him on the grated metal paths. They walked quickly and busily, some carrying large pieces of technology and the rest with datapads.

Well, some of them had been holding their objects. The person directly above them however was not. He had dropped his large metal something-or-other which then proceeded to fall directly on Kirk's left foot.

He didn't notice the pain at first, only the sound of metal clanging close to him. Then it came.

He gave a shout and lifted his foot up away from the offending object, now feeling the sharp throb of his injury intensify with each movement. He turned to find Scotty looking up at the culprit, yelling and shaking his fists.

Kirk was inclined to join him but while precariously balanced on one foot he wasn't sure that he could manage to stay upright and threaten bodily harm upon a crew member at the same time without toppling over.

As other nearby crew members rushed to their Captain's aid he realised that this would probably mean a trip to sickbay. He cringed recalling the last time he entered the ship's medical ward and the innumerable hypos that would surely come his way. Well Bones better get ready; he wasn't going down without a fight.

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