Chapter Four: Possessed
The senator's spacious living quarters were comfortable, in an oddly Tuscan way. There were long, low couches with painstakingly embroidered maroon cushions placed at either end. Albera informed them that the lowest floor had space enough to accommodate both the doctors and the science officers, while the captains would share the middle level. The senator occupied the rooms on the top floor and asked politely not to be disturbed after retiring for the night. This seemed such a trivial request for their comfortable surroundings that both parties agreed whole-heartedly.
As the captains took the narrow, winding staircase to the upper floors from the centre of the lobby on the bottom level, Spock faced McCoy. "It would be logical if we did not share quarters, Doctor. I believe it would be wise if you and Doctor Charlotte shared the room closest to the front of the villa. I would expect that your work at the medical facility will bring you long hours and it would be most unfair to disturb the rest of the crew if you return late."
"Are you out of your Vulcan mind?" Bones spluttered as Britannia moved to object to Spock's ill-placed logic. "I'm not sharing with her!"
Spock turned to look at Doctor Charlotte, whose pale features glowed with the blush of shame. "Is there any reason to suggest that you two cannot conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of Starfleet representation while you are here and sharing quarters?" Neither Doctor spoke and blatantly refused to look at each other. Spock nodded. "Very well then." The first officer then addressed the remaining two members of Malbrook's crew, both of whom appeared less than comfortable in the presence of the Vulcan. "Which of you is the science officer?"
"M-me, sir," stammered a young man, not too dissimilar in features to Ensign Chekov, standing on Spock's right. "Lieutenant Sebastian Grey. This here's Lieutenant-Commander Robert Epson, chief of Security detail."
Spock acknowledged the beefier man on the left. "We shall occupy the larger room at the rear of the house. Lieutenant Grey, I will request your presence during my audience with the senator later on. Since you will need to know how the Zixaan parliament works, it is logical that you attend."
"Y-yes sir," Grey replied, saluting his superior and following with the security chief to the rear of the villa.
Leaving McCoy and Charlotte alone.
Determined not to face her, Bones stormed past and opened the door to the front suite. It transpired that the room was in fact divided into thirds, similar to the segments of a traditional Earth "peace" symbol. The tiny antechamber ended in a point, formed by two retractable walls. Each compartment in the room featured a soft bed and a small bedside table. A third retractable wall split the space, which implied that the room was not often occupied this way. Britannia peered around Bones' hulking shoulder. "So... left or right?"
McCoy turned slowly and crossed his arms, staring at her solidly for the first time since they had arrived. "Let's not play games anymore," he said slowly. "What do you remember, Britannia?"
Oh no. "W-what do you mean?"
"You know perfectly well what I mean. That night back at the Academy..."
His room-mate paled. "What do you remember?" Britannia whispered hoarsely. Bones puffed out his chest and blew out a long breath.
"I remember a bottle of whiskey, but from there on it gets a little fuzzy. I remember waking up the following day and you were gone from the class. You never came back."
"It was better that way. I couldn't face you after what happened."
"Brit... did we... did I...?" McCoy began clumsily, but Britannia turned away, hiding her shame from the superior officer. A wave of realisation washed over Leonard as he watched her tremble slightly. "Oh my God, we did, didn't we? When we were drunk. We slept together." Silence. Awkwardly, McCoy placed his hands gently on her shaking shoulders. "I'm... I'm so sorry... I didn't mean..."
"No, you didn't. Neither did I. It was a stupid, stupid mistake," Britannia coughed blearily. Bones turned her around roughly and forced her chin up so he could look her in the eyes.
"It was a mistake, but we can't go on punishing ourselves forever. That's stupid. We're here to do a job and we need to focus on that."
Britannia nodded in silence and Bones let go of her. He pushed open the door to the left and moved inside the room, closing it with a quiet click. Britannia wiped madly at her face, angry at the tears that had formed on their own accord. It was only one night, wasn't it? It wasn't like she was planning on marrying the older, cranky doctor. If anything, she despised being in his presence. His brusque manner made her shiver to her very soul, irritable and his voice grated on her nerves... what was left of them, anyway. No, there was definitely no attraction there.
On the other side of the wall, Bones flopped down on the bed and forced himself to remember what had happened. It was completely against regulations for anyone teaching at the Academy to bed a student and for all he could remember, she couldn't stand him. So how had it happened? More importantly, why was it affecting her so violently? McCoy thumped himself on the head, willing the memories back from their alcohol-sodden abyss...
If you studied, you could do so much better, you know......
Why study? I'm passing as well as I want to.
That's a waste of talent, Charlotte. It's abysmal.
What's abysmal is that we've nearly finished this bottle and you've spent the last half an hour staring down my top.
I'm appreciative of the female form. I'm a doctor, you know... as well as a man.
Mmmm, I know you are. I've got pretty powerful powers of observation
The elder doctor squeezed his eyes shut. Oh God. He'd hit on her while drunk and she had reciprocated his intentions. Totally unacceptable behaviour from both of them and if Jim ever found out about their secret rendezvous, it would be all over, right after he had laughed for three days at his doctor's expense. Hell, if any of the Admirals suspected this had occurred, he'd be out on his ear, dishonorably discharged and Britannia would be court-marshaled. Though he tried, however, Bones couldn't remember the actual act of being with the young medic.
While the pair mused separately over their shared problem, Kirk and Malbrook were settling into separate suites on the second level. Wasting no time, Jim had automatically thrown himself onto the luxurious double-bed like a kid and tested the bouncing quality. Lucian, upon looking in on his old friend, simply rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Still the grown-up man-child, I see."
Kirk sat up, grinning. "This is a hell of a place! Albera has some nice digs for a politician."
"I'd assume that it wasn't her first choice of career."
"So you think she's a woman, too?" Jim quizzed his companion. Lucian shrugged.
"I can't see why not. Albera is a very feminine name."
"I am, in fact, a woman," came the familiar voice. Both captains cringed as Senator Albera moved past Captain Malbrook and addressed Kirk. "I take it that you find the furnishing comfortable?"
"My apologies, Senator. By Earth standards, your race is rather androgynous and we found it difficult to distinguish gender," Jim answered humbly. Albera nodded.
"It is quite alright, though I wish you have asked me personally. I have a great deal of questions for both of you, also. Not many of my fellow senators share my enthusiasm for off-world knowledge and I know the Chancellor is finding it difficult to maintain a balanced approach to joining the Federation without having his ear bent by biased and old-fashioned men." She appeared to believe in her words fervently and the two captains shared a knowing look. Lucian was the first to speak.
"We know how you feel, if it makes a difference."
Albera sighed, a sad smile on her face. "I wish you did." In a split second and without warning, her body seized violently and she crumpled to the floor, shaking dangerously. Kirk leaped off the bed as Lucian raced to her side. The captains passed in mid-dash as Jim zoomed to the top of the stairs.
"Bones! Charlotte! Medical emergency!" Kirk roared in a state of panic.
Author's Disclaimer: Okay, twenty-four of you are loving this story! This is a good thing and I appreciate the love. Remember to review! Tell me what you like and what you don't. Constructive criticism is always welcome. I've tried to be as faithful to the movie characters as I can. On the whole, you lot seem to like Lucian, of which I'm glad. He's a good man and I'll keep him around. Britannia may or may not see the end of the story. Don't'cha just love alternate endings? Also, the chapter titles are song titles borrowed from The Complete Works of Jekyll & Hyde, though I didn't intend for that to happen. I didn't write the songs either. Shout out this issue is to the reviewers for the movie at moviefix. Bones IS damn awesome, isn't he?