As he remembered that last line, We have noted on his records that Officer Steven Ian Harris is to stay under your care on the Enterprise until further notice. Spock found himself looking at the doctor. McCoy had shown that devious streak the Vulcan had long suspected he had, he had left them with no option but for that reply, that permission, that certainty that Steven would stay on the ship.
Clearly his reaction showed as Kirk had kept looking at him, smiled, and said, "You said that it is understandable to send a crewman unable to pass the standard mental fitness assessment to a facility for rehabilitation but do you not believe that, in this case, the only place for this crewman is on this ship? Also you have to realize that McCoy could learn so much by studying his recovery, his work could help other doctors in Starfleet know how to deal with their officers who might be mentally traumatized. Can you, as my First Officer, give me any reason based on what I have just said, for sending him off the ship?"
"No." Spock was aware of McCoy grinning and rocking on his heels with his arms crossed across his chest just looking at him. "I believe the reply received by the ship's Chief Medical Officer from Starfleet Command regarding Steven Harris clarifies it is necessary to keep him aboard the ship." For a moment he stood and looked at his two friends, "I wish to thank you both for what you are doing to enable Steven to stay aboard the ship."
Kirk gave his friend and First Officer a nod, "Didn't you once tell me that one does not thank logic?"
Before Spock could answer McCoy spoke as he smiled, "And didn't you just tell Steven you were going to the bridge and then to sleep? When you come back you and I will work out the best way to help him return to the required levels for mental and physical fitness needed of him to stay aboard this ship and to let me study him under your supervision."
Spock nodded his thanks to the doctor then looked at Kirk then back at McCoy, "If you gentlemen will excuse me I shall go and attend to the matters I told Steven about."
When the Vulcan had left McCoy looked first at his patient then at Kirk, "He is a very lucky man, that green-blooded hobgoblin of ours."
"How's that, Bones?"
"He is so damned lucky, Jim, as he has a friend from his past, aboard the ship of his present friends, and with how things turned out he will go on with his friends into the future. Now I don't know about you but I think that makes him lucky."
Kirk looked at his friend then at Steven. Perhaps Spock could never have admitted that it had been Steven who had first shown him that a Vulcan and a Human could be friends, but he said a silent prayer of thanks to the gods for what Steven had done all those years ago as well as just a few days ago. That one short display of friendship so long ago had meant Spock had stayed at the Academy, had stayed in Starfleet, had become his friend. While Steven would possible never talk if it Kirk could only imagine how testing it would have been to have lived with Spock in total Vulcan mode.
When Kirk looked into the blue eyes that were studying him he knew McCoy was right. Spock had friends from his past, his present, and his foreseeable future around him. He nodded, "Yes, he, we are lucky to have the friends we have, Bones. I better go mind the store as we should be getting new orders shortly."
FIN
A/N Well, that's this one done. Thanks to those who reviewed, those who followed, those who made it a favorite, and those who just plain read it. Gotta have a few days away as am helping put together emergency kits as we have had a lot of minor aftershocks and people are realizing that they should have emergenct kits. . . Stay safe and have fun.
