A/N:
This is the last chapter of Fresh Starts. Thank you for reading and a special thanks for those who have left a review, followed this story, or made this story a favourite. I will be posting a sequel to this story titled Fresh Adjustments to Fanfiction and AO3 soon.
Chapter Fifty Three
Stardate 2265.364
"Space Dock One, this is the Enterprise A requesting docking permission." came the voice of Lieutenant Uhura as the ship approached the space dock the first Enterprise had been launched from in 2258. That seemed a lifetime ago now, McCoy thought.
"Docking permission is granted Enterprise A. Your vessel is cleared to approach docking port five." the space dock responded. A moment later Lieutenant Sulu switched to blue alert and then began to move the ship into the space dock.
"The two of us have come a long way since that distress call to Vulcan haven't we Jim?" McCoy declared.
"Yes. Though at least we still both have good eyesight and a full head of hair." Jim mused as he referenced a toast McCoy had made years ago right before they first reached Yorktown. A moment later the docking clamps and docking port attached to the ship.
"Captain, Space Dock say we are now clear to disembark. Starfleet has requested the senior staff take the first shuttlecraft down to Starfleet Command as their transporter is undergoing routine maintenance." Lieutenant Uhura stated a moment later.
"Shall I pilot one shuttle Captain while you pilot the second?" requested Lieutenant Sulu after he turned off the blue alert.
"Very well Lieutenant Sulu. Spock I assume you have the departure schedule completed for all of the crew?" Jim replied.
"Indeed. It has already been sent to all crew who will depart the ship according to rank." Spock said. Jim nodded and opened a ship wide comm channel.
"Attention crew of the Enterprise. We have now arrived at space dock in orbit of Earth which brings the five year mission of the Enterprise to an end. You will all depart the ship according to Commander Spock's schedule and proceed to Starfleet Command where you will be debriefed. It's been an honour serving with all of you. Kirk out." Jim said. Then he ended the ship wide communication and looked at McCoy.
"Sure you don't want to take one last look at your med bay Bones? Because you know it will be completely different once the engineers are done with a refit of it." Jim continued. McCoy didn't respond. He had debriefings to get through first before he could request an Earth based assignment, specifically the Starfleet Medical Hospital in San Francisco. McCoy gave the Enterprise A bridge one final look before he entered the turbo lift with Lieutenant Sulu, Ensign Chekov, and Spock. The other bridge crew waited for the next turbo lift.
"So I take it you have not informed the Captain of your decision Doctor McCoy?" asked Spock mildly once the doors of the turbolift closed. McCoy sighed.
"Let me guess Spock. You've figured it out because I haven't stopped going on about how dangerous space is for this entire mission?" McCoy wondered.
"It was not only your attitude toward space that led me to consider this would be your most likely course of action. It was also your wish to reunite with your family and build a home on Earth Doctor McCoy." Spock answered.
"Wait a minute. Do you mean to say that you are resigning your commission Doctor McCoy? You won't be coming back to Starfleet?" asked Ensign Chekov in surprise. The turbolift doors opened and they began to walk to the shuttle bay.
"I'm not leaving Starfleet but I will be requesting a ground based position on Earth from now on. Why are you so surprised Ensign Chekov? I signed on for five years in space and now that's done. Now I want to feel the Earth beneath my feet again not artificial gravity. It's been a honour serving with you all gentlemen." McCoy responded.
"Likewise Doctor McCoy. Take care of yourself. You are welcome to visit my place in San Francisco anytime. I'll send you the coordinates." Lieutenant Sulu responded.
"Thanks for the offer Mr Sulu." McCoy said.
"I'm going to miss you sir. Everyone will." Ensign Chekov replied.
"Thanks Ensign Chekov. But you'll be fine. I'm hardly the only doctor in Starfleet." McCoy reassured the younger man.
"Indeed not Doctor but you are a very unique one. It has been a great honour to serve with you. Live long and prosper." replied Spock.
"Same here or am I supposed to say peace and long life Spock?" McCoy wondered.
"Both are acceptable and appreciated. Shall we Lieutenant Sulu?" replied Spock as he gestured toward the first shuttle. The doors of the shuttle bay opened again and Jim, Lieutenant Uhura, and Lieutenant Commander Scott came in.
"I don't like it Captain. The next time I see the Enterprise A she'll be all different I tell you. Who knows what those engineers at space dock plan to do with the ship before they put her back in space again." complained Scotty.
"It will be fine Scotty. I'm sure they will have her purring like a kitten again." Jim tried to reassure him.
"Let's hope so." Scotty replied as the trio walked closer then stopped in front of the four of them.
"All right, my last order on this mission is to have Spock and Doctor McCoy fly down with me in one shuttlecraft while Mr Sulu, Lieutenant Uhura, Ensign Chekov, and Mr Scott will fly down in another. I'm sure we'll be met on the ground once we arrive. Now let's not keep Starfleet Command waiting since I'm sure they have plenty of questions." Jim ordered.
"That is inevitable after a mission of this length Captain. Let us proceed." Spock replied.
"Pardon me for interrupting Commander Spock but might I have a private word with Doctor McCoy before you depart? I will be quick." came the voice of Crewman S'nell. McCoy turned to look at her in surprise as he hadn't heard her walk into the shuttle bay. Spock nodded then walked away with Jim to one of the shuttles. The rest of the senior staff walked to the other shuttle while Crewman S'nell walked closer to him.
"You can speak freely if you want Crewman S'nell." McCoy wondered, very curious as to what she wanted to say to him.
"Then I will. I wanted you to know that I intend to resign my Starfleet commission once we return to Earth." Crewman S'nell told him. He raised an eyebrow.
"Why did you want to resign your commission from Starfleet?" he wondered.
"You only told me you thought that space was dangerous and disease ridden. You were right. I prefer to be on solid ground to conduct my experiments rather then a spaceship. There is an exobiology lab in Baltimore Maryland that has offered me a research position which I have accepted." she explained.
"So I had nothing to do with your decision to leave Starfleet?" he asked. Crewman S'nell sighed.
"Without me around you will be able to focus on your own work much better. Besides, I do not wish to cause you any strife in your marriage." Crewman S'nell frankly stated.
"So you want me to forget you then?" McCoy pressed. She placed a hand on his right cheek and looked in his eyes. He placed his own hand over hers.
"No, I would not wish for that at all. You have made quite an impression on me. In fact you made enough of one that I know that I will never forget you Doctor McCoy." Crewman S'nell admitted.
"Same here Crewman S'nell." he stated. She smiled at him then removed her hand from his face.
"I hope to see you again. But if I do not then you should know that I wish you all the best Leonard McCoy." she told him.
"Likewise. Now I gotta go." McCoy said reluctantly. Crewman S'nell nodded then turned and walked out of the shuttle bay. McCoy took a deep breath. Once she had left he walked to the shuttle where Spock and Jim were sitting in and buckled himself into his seat.
"What was that about Bones?" wondered Jim.
"None of your business Jim." he replied. McCoy looked at Spock and wondered when he knew that Crewman S'nell planned to leave Starfleet. But he really didn't want to ask.
"OK Bones. You know, I haven't seen you this tense in a shuttle since we first met. Aren't you glad to going back to Earth?" asked Jim as he began the launch procedures. The hanger bay doors opened shortly afterwards and the shuttle moved out into space quickly.
"I just want to get these debriefings over with that's all. You know how the top brass can go on at length even more then Spock." McCoy replied.
"Yes, the flag officers of Starfleet Command do have a tendency toward verbosity and thoroughness that at times even exceeds my own desire to give a full and accurate account." Spock responded.
"In other words some of them are windbags." McCoy grumbled.
"I detect no resemblance between a member of Starfleet's upper brass and the material of a bagpipe Doctor." Spock stated.
"Spock haven't you learnt that Bones only talks in metaphors by now? I once had to order him to stop doing so because even I got tired of it." Jim said.
"I see." was all Spock would say to that.
"So Bones you never answered my question on the bridge earlier. Will you miss the med bay?" Jim asked.
"I'll miss some of the staff. Doctor M'Benga has been a very good assistant CMO and Nurse Dominique has done very well as head nurse. I'd be glad to work with either of them again. As for the med bay itself why would I? Once you've worked in medicine as long as I have the hospitals and med bays seem very similar after a while. We might have more sophisticated equipment on this ship then some places but patients rarely change." McCoy admitted.
"So you don't intend to be here when they launch the Enterprise A again in six months? You're resigning your commission in Starfleet?" Jim asked.
"I'm not resigning from Starfleet merely requesting reassignment on Earth. Why is everyone surprised at that? It's not like I'm moving to New Vulcan. I'm just going to be working on Earth from now on if I can. Now that this mission is finally over I'm hopefully done with space." McCoy explained.
"Right then. See if I care Leonard McCoy. Go off and have your nice job at Starfleet Medical and go see your family again who probably don't even recognize who you are anymore. I'll be fine by myself in space." snapped Jim.
"For God's sake Jim! I didn't say we'd never see each other again. You are so melodramatic at times. We're going to remain best friends no matter what." McCoy replied with equal parts exasperation and fondness. That was a mixture of emotions that he had quickly found was quite common when it came to Jim Kirk.
"Good because I'll be turning up at your mom's house in Atlanta before you know it." Jim replied.
"How do you even know where my mom lives?" McCoy wondered.
"It's not hard to find Bones. Her address is in the emergency contact information in your personnel file." Jim explained.
"All right, I'll make sure to warn her you're coming. It will be crowded with having Joanna there too but we'll make it work." reflected McCoy.
"Now approaching the city limits of San Francisco. Hold on gentlemen." was all Jim said before they swooped down sharply very close to the Golden Gate Bridge. McCoy gripped his arm rests and remembered that Jim was a competent if daring pilot. He'd be fine. Fortunately Jim levelled them out and performed a textbook landing a minute later right next to the other shuttle which had already landed.
"All right gentleman let's get this over with." Jim stated as he rose. McCoy and Spock followed him out of the shuttle.
There were two Starfleet officers there to meet them as Jim had predicted. They followed the two officers from the shuttle pad into the grounds of Starfleet Command. The grounds of Starfleet Command were white and brown. The patches of partially melted ice mixed with brown grass. The grounds were also very quiet. McCoy realized that was because it between Christmas and New Years so many people would not be here at the moment.
It seemed fitting that the eve of a new year would start with him coming back to Earth. But before he could dwell on the end of the five year mission McCoy needed to get through the next day or two of debriefings and a full physical. After that he could finally spend some time with his family in Georgia. Whether they welcomed him home warmly was something that he would discover for himself soon enough, McCoy thought.
