Stepping onto the Bridge and all of the crew snapping to attention was something that never got old for Kirk. Spock was standing at attention beside the Captain's chair he had just vacated. A quick salute from Kirk and a short 'as you were' had everyone settling back at their stations.

Spock alone remained in position as Kirk moved to his chair.

"We have new orders, Captain?"

"Indeed we do, Mister Spock. We are to take the remains of the ISS Miranda to the Yorktown station. Mister Chekov, do you have the course plotted?"

Chekov straightened his back as he swiveled his chair slightly.

"Aye, Sir. The course is being routed to your PADD for approval."

Spock remained silent as Kirk pulled up the navigational information and approved it.

"Very good, Mister Chekov. Set the course. Mister Sulu, take us ahead, warp factor two."

After the orders were given, Spock finally spoke up.

"Orders sending us to the Yorktown station seem illogical, Captain. It is very likely the station furthest from our current coordinates."

"I am in full agreement with you, Mister Spock. The orders lead me to believe that the Emperor must have something in that sector that he wants our ship to handle.

There was a brief pause as Spock considered that possibility, then he nodded.

"That would appear to be the most reasonable assumption taking into account the information currently available to us, Sir."

Kirk accepted a PADD from his yeoman, glancing it over and signing it before rising back out of his chair.

"Since our current orders have us going from point a to point z, I will leave the Bridge to you for now, Mister Spock. I will be in my quarters."

"Yes, Captain."

A small smirk appeared briefly on Kirk's face. He knew full well how much the Vulcan relished the opportunities he had to sit in the Captain's chair and since he could indulge both his own and Spock's desires at the same time, why not? Taking his leave of the Bridge, Kirk headed for one of only two places on the ship where the personnel weren't required to stop what they were doing and come to attention. The second area was Engineering, but the first and his destination was Sickbay.

As always, Kirk admired the precision as the Sickbay doors opened. Every nurse in the vicinity shifted just enough to view who was coming in and each one of them had a hand hovering near a weapon of some sort until they recognized their Captain. Kirk smiled as he spoke.

"As you were, ladies. I need to speak with Nurse Chapel."

She had apparently been close enough to hear because she came out of one of the side rooms immediately, strode within five feet of him before coming to attention and saluting.

"Reporting as requested, Sir."

"At ease. I simply needed to inform you that I will be removing Doctor McCoy from your midst for a few days, barring emergencies, of course. I am trusting you to be the judge of what constitutes an actual emergency."

The smile in Chapel's eyes never reached her lips, but it rarely did unless a cadaver was involved.

"Yes, Captain. You'll find the doctor in his office, Sir."

Kirk gave her a saucy grin in response and headed for his CMO's office. Once there, he remained in the doorway, watching. McCoy's full attention seemed to be on the PADD in his hand. At least, that was the illusion before he spoke.

"Standing there and staring at me is a bit creepy, Jim."

Laughing, Kirk came in enough for the door to close behind him.

"Wrap things up, Bones. You're taking a couple of days off."

Blinking, McCoy finally looked up from his PADD.

"I am? What's the occasion?"

"Imperial Starfleet is sending us clear across our territory and sitting on the Bridge watching a whole lot of nothing passing by seems a waste when I have far more interesting things to spend time on. So, what had your attention?"

Gesturing with his PADD slightly, McCoy then turned it off and laid it on his desk.

"Test results on a new poison that Franca and I have been working on. Paralytic, but one that won't interfere with heart rate or respiration. Not quite fast acting enough, but we can work on that."

Nodding his approval, Kirk herded McCoy out of Sickbay. That was one thing he liked about both his Chief Medical Officer and his Chief Engineer. They were both constantly looking for the next thing rather than being content with things simply working.

Once they reached his quarters, Kirk motioned McCoy toward the bar.

"Pour us a couple. I'll be with you as soon as I take care of my log."

Captain's Log - Stardate 2262.252

Traveling all the way to the Yorktown station will take the better part of a week, so I'm pulling Bones from Sickbay rotation unless an emergency crops up. If I'm going to have to play nice with a bunch of bureaucrats, I need a good dose of relaxation beforehand if they prefer me not to break any necks.

"Jim?"

Looking slightly annoyed at the interruption, Jim paused his recording and looked over, annoyance fading at the expression on McCoy's face.

"What if that's the point, Jim? The Admiralty knows very well about your temper. What if they're putting us in this situation because they'd prefer that you deal with them that way?"

Kirk opened his mouth, then closed it again as his brow furrowed. Accepting the drink he was handed, he swallowed down half the glass before restarting the recording.

Listening in to me recording, Bones remarked that the higher-ups might be sending us because they'd actually prefer a few snapped necks. I suppose I should figure that out before the meeting.

Signing off on his log, he downed the rest of his glass before holding it out for a refill.

"That was a very good question, Bones. For now though? Drop the doctor and advisor duties and concentrate on your consort duties."

An hour later, Kirk leaned back against his pillow in lazy satisfaction. That was another thing he appreciated in McCoy - the ability to devote all of his energy to whatever task was at hand.