Chapter Three

To: Leonard McCoy, Lieutenant Commander, USS Enterprise A

From: S'nellastina zh'Vecar, Earth, United States of America, Maryland, Baltimore

Hello Doctor McCoy. My apologies for not responding promptly to your last comm. A week ago the Bolian Ambassador visited our lab and asked us to work with the Embassy in San Francisco to work on a biosphere near the embassy. Apparently they first approached the Davis Center for Exobiology in San Francisco with the project. But they had no time for such a time consuming project and so they went to us instead. We are working with Bolian scientists who are all very outspoken. I'm coordinating the environmental controls of the biosphere which has taken extensive testing in order to properly replicate the atmosphere conditions of Bolarus Nine.

I'm glad that the new crew seem to be integrating into the existing crew of the Enterprise A well. That will be important for crew morale. You haven't complained about Kirk dragging you on an away mission yet but I suspect that will change soon enough.

My evenings are spent reading scientific journals, taking fencing classes, sparring at the gym, and occasionally watching movies. I have also kept up my running with Nurse Dominique but we have moved that to the mornings as she works afternoons and I don't start work until 0900 hours every morning. I'm staying in touch with Commander Spock who is still trying to teach me Vulcan meditative techniques. I'll never be as dispassionate or controlled as a Vulcan, but I will admit that Vulcan meditation often relaxes me. I'm also in regular communication with Lieutenant Commander Uhura as we like to talk in Andorii. She always says that language has to be practised or it is forgotten.

All the best, S'nell.

Message sent 1921 hours UTC Stardate 2266.214

To: S'nellastina zh'Vecar, Earth, United States of America, Maryland, Baltimore

From: Leonard McCoy, Lieutenant Commander, USS Enterprise A

So you're working with Bolians right now? I haven't met many of them but outspoken would be the right word to describe the few Bolians I have met. Let me give you two pieces of advice when it comes to Bolians: First, don't eat Bolian cuisine. Their food disagrees with the digestive system of almost all other species and I don't want you to get food poisoning. Second, tell your Human colleagues not to sleep with any Bolians. Doing that gives you nausea and fatigue. Then again you're an exobiologist so you know all that already.

Speaking of sleeping around that's what Jim did on our latest away mission. After we finished studying a black hole we came across a M class planet with a Humanoid species who call themselves the Kellacx. The Kellacx people are sea faring with cities built on top of the water as there is only ten percent of their planet that is land. They are about as tall as a Human but have orange skin and white hair. When we explained who we were and why we had come to their planet they seemed friendly enough. They said they would be willing to join the Federation if we honoured their customary means of sealing an agreement. In other words Jim had to spend the night with the daughter of the leader having sex. I scanned her to make sure she wouldn't give him any diseases but she was clean. So the two of them went off to spend the night together. In the morning we left the planet with a preliminary letter of understanding sighed. A Starfleet diplomatic team will visit the Kellacx soon to finalize their entry into the Federation. Jim looked very relaxed when I did a post away mission checkup but I didn't ask for details about his time with the daughter of the leader. He gave me far too much details about his sex life at the Academy. Fortunately now he says nothing and I don't ask unless I have to for medical reasons.

I'm glad that you are keeping busy and staying in touch with people from the Enterprise. I don't want you to be lonely on Earth. As for what you said about Vulcan mediation it's probably a good thing to be doing if it relaxes you. But don't feel that you ever have to change your passionate nature around me. I like how outspoken you are S'nell.

Thinking of you, Doctor McCoy.

Message sent 1911 hours UTC Stardate 2266.218