Chapter 9

The Lightning Strikes

"And if I make it stand?"

"Then I shall relieve you of duty under Starfleet regulation Seven, article Twelve – proven conscious and intentional endangering of the ship and crew."

If Doctor McCoy could be any judge, it was one highly unpleasant and unproductive pre-mission briefing, but never did he think it would result in such a statement on Spock's part. He stared at the Vulcan along with everyone else, trying to get rid of a muffled buzzing attacking his ears. The sound of stunned silence, no doubt.

Granted, the skies were cloudy from the beginning, but nothing promised an actual thunderstorm. He searched his memory a short while back, trying to pinpoint the moment when they had gone so utterly off track.

The first fifteen minutes seemed to be all right. The Briefing Room was crowded, with all the department heads and section chiefs gathered in there for the final correction of plans. Spock had just finished outlining for them the locations of the settlements on Maupak, the third world on their itinerary.

"As they are relatively close to one another, it is reasonable for us to set up one coordinating center in the middle of that triangle," he showed it on the map. "Thus, we can render assistance, spending minimal time for establishing logistics."

"Plus," Giotto interjected, "it's safer for our own people."

"Your opinion, Mr. Scott?" Kirk prompted him, causing several people to look at him in surprise. Spock, McCoy noted grimly, was not one of them, as if he was already used to having his well thought-out suggestions questioned.

"Aye, it's easier for my lads, too," the Engineer shrugged, indicating his puzzlement at having to state the self-evident point.

"Well, Mr. Spock," Kirk smiled lightly, his hazel eyes remaining unaffected. "It seems you have a quorum."

The Vulcan simply nodded, his face devoid of any expression.

"Doctor," Kirk turned to look at him. "Your status?"

"We're ready, Captain," McCoy replied, with a dismissive shrug. "One field station, supervised by me and M'Benga."

"One station, Doctor?" Kirk frowned at him. "There are over two thousand people there. Don't you think you'd better set up at least two?"

"Jim, we are spreading pretty thin as it is," McCoy grunted unhappily. "We're not a crisis relief ship. I don't have enough qualified medical personnel to man two independent stations."

"You mean you don't have enough personnel to watch over it while you wander around doing sightseeing, as is your new habit?" Kirk asked, a smile still present on his lips, but his voice turning unpleasantly sharp. "Is that why you refuse to open another station?"

Fuming, the Doctor opened his mouth, but, before he could speak, Spock intervened.

"Captain, Doctor McCoy was only leaving the hospital because it was not possible to deliver all those requiring medical attention to him."

"Yes, Mr. Spock, your inefficiency is getting more pronounced by the day. However–"

"My staff is going to be working around the clock, Jim," McCoy interjected in a distinctly insulted voice. "Just as they have been on Korrias. And if I'm gonna make any house calls – it won't be for idle wandering."

"I believe you are well suited to open two stations," Kirk insisted. "It's inhuman to make those people line up for the better part of the day. Don't you think they've suffered enough?"

"Captain, we do not have qualified medical personnel in abundance," Spock stated firmly, indicating with his tone that he was not about to surrender a bit of ground. "Doctor McCoy is absolutely correct."

McCoy stared at him, despite his preoccupation. "Why, thank you, Spock. I never thought I'd see the day."

The Vulcan ignored him, his attention focused on the Captain.

"I am also forced to point out that establishing two medical stations means putting the crew of the Enterprise at a considerable risk should we lose either one. It will also mean our inability to continue with our mission."

Kirk frowned deeper than ever, but it was clear he had no choice but to give in.

"Very well, Mr. Spock, Doctor," he said. "Have it your way."

McCoy was watching him bemused. It was not uncommon recently that Kirk would exceed any bounds of reason in his demands, whether they touched upon the mission or ship's business, chasing some wild ideas of his. He tried to persuade Giotto to put his men on four-shift schedule. He attempted to convince Scotty to run tests on the warp plasma core while still at warp in vague hopes of increasing efficiency. Without consulting McCoy, he totally changed the duty shifts roster. There had been other incidents.

In each case, no respective department head, McCoy included, was able to make him change his mind. They had all finally appealed to the Executive Officer to intervene, and only when Spock confronted the Captain on each occasion, proving to him in the coldest logical terms he could summon that his suggestion was unviable, if not downright dangerous, only after yet another heated discussion with his First Officer did Kirk back off on his demands.

It was almost as if he was continuously testing Spock, McCoy mused warily. As if with his outrageous suggestions, he was provoking the Vulcan, usually very supportive of his decisions, to stand up to him. The same thing happened now, McCoy realized grimly. He was distinctly aware that he and his team were an inch away from being split in two, despite any counter arguments, and God only knows what would have happened then. Only when Spock made it clear that such action would jeopardize the ship and its mission did Kirk back off. What was going on here?

He concentrated on Kirk's voice again.

"I will be negotiating with the authorities this time," the Captain was saying. "Mr. Spock, you're in charge of the landing mission, try not to screw up as much as the last time. Mr. Scott, your expertise will be needed down there, too, if I understand their demands correctly."

"Ye want me down on the planet, Captain?" Scott asked perplexed. "But who will be in command?"

Kirk glanced at Uhura and smiled the shadow of his tantalizing smile.

"Lieutenant, do you feel up to it?"

"Sir..." she looked positively alarmed. "I do not think it's–"

"You know, I'm tired," Kirk cut her off with a mean gleam in his eye, "of having my orders constantly challenged. Lieutenant Uhura, you will assume command of the Enterprise, while we're down there. That's an order and I don't want to hear any further objections," his eyes fixed on his second-in-command warningly. "From anyone."

But that was insane, McCoy thought desperately. With Spock, Scotty, Sulu, Quaint, Giotto and even Chekov down on the surface, not to mention Kirk himself, the ship would be unbelievably vulnerable to any sudden attack – and they were in the Neutral Zone, for heaven's sake! The look upon Kirk's face was determined, there was clearly no point in arguing with him. Instinctively, McCoy turned his eyes to Spock, and he wasn't the only one.

Scotty's glance reflected the same desperate anxiety, Uhura's face was ghostly pale and horrified, Sulu looked distinctly alarmed, Giotto frowned darkly, allowing himself for once to demonstrate his disapproval of his commanding officer's decision. All gazes seemed to lock on Spock; the tension was almost palpable.

"Captain, Lieutenant Uhura had never been in command during a combat situation," Spock said in a cool soft voice, as if testing the waters.

"We will not be leaving her in one."

Spock frowned mildly.

"No, but we will be leaving her in the situation which could rapidly turn into one. We are in the middle of the Neutral Zone, and our sensors had picked up several Klingon ships in the vicinity."

"Don't you trust our partners-in-peace, Mr. Spock?"

"Do you, Captain?"

"To a point. They have not attacked us earlier."

"They have not been present earlier. Captain, there are currently twenty seven encounters with the Klingons logged in the Enterprise's records. There is not a single one of those that had not resulted in an armed conflict of various degree of hostility. With or without the treaty in place. It is illogical to assume that the nature of any further encounter will change, particularly not under current circumstances, when our presence here can be interpreted as a threat."

"Are you saying we should sit on our tail because of some statistical probability?"

"I am saying that it is unreasonable to leave Lieutenant Uhura in command, sir."

Kirk looked at Uhura encouragingly.

"Lieutenant, don't you have a say in this? Mr. Spock here seems to underestimate your command abilities. But you and I both know different."

He smiled at her in a way that made McCoy's jaw drop, Scotty and Sulu frown, Giotto raise his eyebrows, and Uhura herself blush.

"Captain, I don't... I..."

Embarrassment, anger and confusion prevented her from formulating an articulate response.

"Captain, Lieutenant Uhura's abilities are well known to me," Spock stated calmly, sparing her a brief glance. "I submit, however, that she is not an officer of command grade. According to Starfleet regulation Seven, article Two, in a dangerous or uncertain situation, such as ours, it is not allowed for all the officers of command rank to leave the ship simultaneously."

Kirk surveyed him scornfully.

"Can you say nothing other than quote regulations?"

Spock's eyebrow creased, a definite sign of his anger. The next thing out of his mouth was something McCoy had never expected to hear him say to Kirk. Obviously Vulcans were not indestructible, and Spock's patience and reserve were finally giving under the strain.

"It is my duty as First Officer to remind the Captain of certain things, should he appear to have forgotten them. If you wish to hear my personal opinion, very well. Your order is unreasonable, irresponsible and unjustifiable. Sir."

A collective intake of breath was a clear indicator of the harshness that infiltrated his tone. Never had any of them heard him speak to the Captain like this. Never had any of them even imagined that Spock could speak to Kirk like this.

Kirk looked him squarely in the eye, unabashed.

"And if I make it stand?"

All heads turned to Spock again, as if they were watching a particularly compelling tennis match.

"Then I shall relieve you of duty under Starfleet regulation Seven, article Twelve – proven conscious and intentional endangering of the ship and crew."

The ensuing silence was deafening. No one was able to move, they were hardly even breathing. McCoy felt he was sliding into some sort of daze, the surrealistic events making his head spin. Was it possible that he was still dreaming in his cabin, not having gotten out of bed yet?

Kirk leaned back in his chair, his pose almost relaxed, but his face dark and stricken.

"Do you realize what you are saying, Commander?"

"Affirmative. My primary duty is the same as yours – to the ship. And I will not allow you to put it in jeopardy without sufficient grounds."

"Indeed? Mr. Spock, you're one tiny little inch away from outright mutiny, but there seem to be a hell lot of things you don't know about running a starship. It's run on loyalty, Commander Spock of Vulcan. Do you honestly believe that my officers will support you against me?"

"This is not about you and me, Captain," Spock countered evenly. "This is about the safety of this ship and the success of its mission."

"And you're arrogant enough to believe that you know better how we should proceed? I got to tell you, Spock, your self-assurance really is something."

"Jim! Spock! For heaven's sake!" McCoy exclaimed, unable to remain silent for one second longer. "Have you both lost your minds? What the devil are you doing?!"

"It appears that we're trying to determine whose orders the crew will follow," Kirk told him calmly, his eyes narrowed and never leaving Spock's. "What about you, Doctor? If Mr. Spock and I send our little difference of opinions in motion, whom will you support?"

"Jim!" McCoy stared at him, incensed. "Listen to what you're saying!"

"I asked you a question, McCoy."

"There is little point in answering hypothetical questions, Captain," Spock said quickly before McCoy could overcome an upsurge of pure fury.

"On the contrary, there's no better way of finding out how far this corrupted notion of yours goes. Your opinion, Mr. Scott?" Kirk rounded on the Chief Engineer suddenly.

"Sir..." Scotty looked no less dazed than the rest of them, alarmed at being forced to choose sides that in his view could never get split in the first place. Yet now they were. He would always choose man's word over some dusty regulations, invented by a bunch of bureaucrats, but what the Captain was suggesting seemed insecure to the extreme. "I think it would be better for me to stay with the ship, Captain," he said looking down at his clasped hands miserably. "Just to be on the safe side."

Kirk's eyes glinted malevolently, as he turned to Sulu. The helmsman squirmed visibly under his intent gaze, and shot a brief glance at Spock, as if trying to weigh his options. The Vulcan was watching the Captain continuously, seemingly indifferent to what his fellow officers might say.

"Captain, I will obey your orders." Sulu said tersely. "But it doesn't seem right to be leaving only Uhura here, while the Klingons are nearby."

"Noted. Lieutenant?"

Uhura was trembling, probably without realizing it.

"If you order me to take command, I will, Captain," she managed, her voice barely audible. "And if the Klingons should attack..." her words trailed off, and she couldn't finish the sentence.

"Ms. Quaint, you'll forgive me for not asking you, but I think we all know exactly where your loyalty lies and why. Though, if you ask me, you're wasting your time there."

Quaint blushed so intensely, she was practically radiating heat. Spock's hands gathered into fists instinctively, before the Vulcan registered his reaction and willed them back to lie flat. McCoy thought he couldn't blame him. At that moment, he was more than eager to give Jim a thorough shake himself.

"Commander?"

Giotto stiffened even more than he already was. But there appeared to be no hesitation in his answer, which made a distinctive difference from the others.

"Captain, speaking strictly in security terms, Commander Spock is correct. Either you, he, or Lieutenant Commander Scott should remain on board at any given time while we are in the Neutral Zone."

The glint in Kirk's eyes intensified, and suddenly McCoy realized that it was not anger that it reflected. If anything, the expression remarkably resembled satisfaction. He didn't have the time to dwell on it, however, because Kirk rounded back on him, his gaze boring into McCoy's face.

"Made up your mind yet, Doctor?"

"Oh, yes, I did, Captain, sir," his anger snapped for him. "I don't know what you're playing at, but this absurd charade will stop now, or I'm ordering you both down for psyche exam."

"On what grounds, Doctor?" Spock asked him calmly, looking away from Kirk for the first time. "I do not believe that my behavior has given you sufficient cause for such a measure."

"Spock, I don't believe you!" McCoy exploded, facing him squarely. "You have just threatened to remove Captain Kirk from command! Or don't you remember?"

"My memory serves me fine. But I did not threaten anyone. I outlined my consequent actions should Captain Kirk make his order stand – because he asked me to. Do you find that my supposed actions would signal my mental incapacity?"

"Well, no, I don't," McCoy waved the question off as unimportant, missing completely the triumphant spark kindling in Kirk's eye for a split second. "But what you're doing here is... is..."

"Doctor, we are doing nothing here, except exploring a hypothetical problem," Kirk intoned with a small smile. His gaze drifted over to his First Officer. "Isn't it right, Mr. Spock?"

For a long moment, the Vulcan simply looked at him, as if calculating something. Finally, he shifted, his pose going slightly more relaxed.

"Affirmative."

A general sigh of relief ran throughout the crowded room like a wave. It was all a game, then. Nothing serious.

"Very well, gentlemen," Kirk snapped his hands appreciatively. "So much for the fun part. Mr. Spock, you will be in charge of the landing party operation. Mr. Scott stays in command of the Enterprise."

"Aye, sir."

"If there are no more questions?" Kirk looked at Spock. The Vulcan shook his head. "Well, then, let's get this show on the road. Dismissed."

In a blink of an eye, the room was filled with general commotion. People were going in and out, dividing in groups of twos and threes, talking on their way. McCoy saw Quaint leaving among the first, almost on the run, her face still flushed, her eyes wide. Uhura was laughing nervously, her knees obviously shaky, she leaned into Sulu, who supported her shoulders gently, speaking to her in a reassuring voice, as they walked out. Scotty was giving instructions to Mandy, who stood behind his back throughout the meeting with a couple of her assistants, and who now was to be the ranking engineering officer in the landing party. Spock was surrounded by his own staff, listening to the updates on which he was not briefed before the meeting, Renseb and Tanna close at his elbow, looking at him with concern. And Kirk...

Kirk, McCoy realized suddenly, was still keeping his place, sitting there alone and watching his second-in-command across the room. A smile was playing on his lips, a familiar, easy smile, with which Kirk favored his friend so often. It was half admiring, half disappointed, and it usually appeared when Kirk tried to find a problem, to which Spock wouldn't be able to find a solution, only he always did. The smile was dual, ambivalent, as if Kirk was both proud of the Vulcan's abilities, and upset that he'd lost to his unbeatable First Officer again.

Rising from his seat, McCoy walked over to him, almost lazily, though his muscles were stiff, as if he had been subjected to higher gravity for a while.

"Jim, can I talk to you for a second?"

Kirk's smile faded, as if washed out by a jet of icy water. He looked up at the Doctor speculatively.

"You're not really asking, are you?"

"No," McCoy admitted. "I'm not."

Kirk sighed, but got up to his feet obediently and followed his CMO out of the room. They walked in silence, until they finally reached the calm privacy of the Captain's quarters.

"Want some brandy?" Kirk asked, reaching for a glass.

"No, Captain."

"Ah," his hand dropped, and he turned to survey the Doctor carefully. "So this is official."

McCoy frowned.

"To be honest, I don't know, Jim. I don't know whether to make it official or not. I don't know what to make of your behavior, either. One moment you're biting people's heads off, the next you laugh at their stunned faces and tell them it was only a joke."

"That got you just now, didn't it?"

"Yes, it did," McCoy said indignantly. "What the devil are you doing playing tricks like that with your staff? Did you see how many people were in that room? The whole ship is one buzzing hive right now, and I don't think they've appreciated the show."

"Your point being, Doctor?" Kirk asked, somewhat tiredly.

"If you and Spock are in the mood for some mind games – do it in private!" McCoy snapped. "Since when is seeing the Captain and the First Officer at each other's throats good for ship's moral? And don't you dare play ignorance, you've been provoking him all week for some twisted purpose!"

"I most certainly have not," Kirk retorted adamantly. "Spock has taken an annoying habit of disagreeing with my every order, I needed to put him back in his place."

"By openly challenging him in front of the crew?" McCoy asked incensed. "Jim, what are we now – some blasted privateer ship? What do you plan to have him do next - walk the plank?"

"There could be only one captain aboard a starship at any given time," Kirk stated firmly. "Spock seems to have forgotten that."

"Jim, Spock would never question your authority."

"Haven't you been paying attention, Bones? He just did."

"You pushed him into it!"

"So what? If you stand in the way, you'd better be prepared to be pushed. He's given me no room to breathe lately, always lurking around, sticking his nose into matters which are none of his business."

"Jim!"

"What? Don't look at me like that, I'm not the one with the problem. I'm tired sick of his attitude, Bones. Why does he always have to act as if he knows better than the rest of us?"

"Because, disconcerting as it is, he usually does!"

"My-my, Doctor," Kirk shook his head in exasperation. "Don't let him hear you say that."

McCoy took a deep breath in a futile attempt to steel his temper.

"Look, Jim, I don't know what ill wind had blown between the two of you lately, but you can't take it out on the crew. Especially not in the middle of a mission in the Klingon Neutral Zone. I can't believe I have to tell you this!"

"What makes you think you do?"

"Dammit, Jim, I'm a doctor! You think I don't know how they'd react? Making them choose between you and Spock, honestly! People's nerves are already white-hot, the last thing they need is watching you berate Spock in public because he happens to be right and you don't!"

"I can see I don't have to guess where your loyalties are anymore," Kirk noted, with the same air of grave satisfaction the McCoy had observed earlier. "All right, Doctor, you've made your point. I'll be good, as long as Spock stops giving me grief every time I make a decision. Now, if there's nothing else, I believe you have a medical station to organize. We'll be in orbit in nine hours."

It was all McCoy could do when he was leaving the Captain's quarters not to curse out loud.

"It's hard to believe we even need any enemies to come and get us," he muttered to the empty cabin of the turbolift. "We seem to be doing fine all by ourselves."