Although he wasn't eager to go diving, McCoy didn't complain. He was always grateful to be included in a landing party with Hope, no matter how much he might dislike the actual mission. Everything was better than having to stay aboard, where he would just wait and worry. If he'd thought being worried sick about her far away, on the Lexington, for six months had been tough, he'd quickly learned that having her close and still not being able to be with her and protect her at all times was even worse.

Of course, he realised that he'd have to come to terms with her being a fully-fledged Starfleet officer eventually. He couldn't play bodyguard forever, and he knew that she certainly didn't need him to. The doctor was quite aware that sticking close to her was more for his own benefit than hers. But letting go had never been his forte. He'd start working on it after this mission.

"You don't like diving?" Hope asked, throwing him a pitying glance, as they were both struggling into their converted protection suits, helping each other close and seal them.

"I don't feel comfortable with all this water around me," McCoy grumbled, "knowing I'll only be able to breathe as long as there's oxygen in this suit and helmet, and the equipment remains undamaged. Just like I'd rather not think too hard about the vastness of space surrounding us here on the Enterprise."

Hope chuckled softly at that, and he felt immediately better just hearing the affection in that sound.

"Perfect career choice then," she grinned and, of course, knowing exactly what he needed to hear, added "I'm still glad you're coming, though. I always feel safer when you're around."

McCoy wrapped his arms around her waist and indulged in one last, tender kiss, before grabbing his medikit and their helmets, and steering her out of his quarters. It was little things like these, a teasing chuckle, a comforting touch, a hurried kiss before a mission, that he enjoyed so much about their relationship. Easy and affectionate. He was most definitely a very lucky man, and he knew it. Even though he still often found it hard to believe that he was so truly loved, despite, or even because of just being himself.

"How do you manage to look so gorgeous, even in this bulky suit?" he grinned, as they made their way through the corridors.

"You sure know how to flatter a girl," she laughed self-effacingly, giving his arm a gentle nudge.

But you really do, he thought fondly, soaking up her carefree cheerfulness, and wondering for the umpteenth time how a stunning woman like her could be so oblivious of her own beauty.

"Probably a good thing we're wearing these, though," the doctor whispered as they arrived at the transporter room, indicating their suits and giving her a naughty wink. "Easier for me to keep my hands off you and keep people guessing as to how close we really are."

They didn't see Spock raising an indulgent eyebrow at the other side of the transporter room.

Why do humans constantly forget about my Vulcan hearing? he thought, definitely not amused. Especially when they keep bringing up my ears and teasing me about their shape at every opportunity?

-x-x-x-x-x-

Jenny watched McCoy pull on his helmet with a scowl on his face, that he probably wasn't even aware of, and had to smile to herself. The longer she knew the doctor, the more things she found him to feel uneasy about or even afraid of. And yet, he was probably the bravest man she'd ever known.

The truly admirable thing about him was that all his fears never stopped him from facing danger, real or just imagined, to do his duty and help his friends or patients, no matter how much he might grumble about it.

He was such a worrier, always expecting things to go wrong. Which, of course, they often did, she had to admit. And having been a Starfleet physician for so many years, he'd surely experienced horrors in his time, that she couldn't even begin imagine.

Scotty, as a matter of fact, wasn't much less of a worrier, albeit mostly about different things, and it had only taken a few of McCoy's well phrased implications for him to decline Calmara's kind offer of beaming down by means of her people's teleportation system.

Since the chief of engineering didn't quite trust their own transporter to take them this far underwater unharmed, either, Kirk and Home World's president had agreed on them beaming to the surface near the coastline, where they'd be met by an underwater shuttle to take them to the capital, where the government was seated.

-x-x-x-x-x-

They materialised on a beautiful beach, immediately reminding Jenny of her amazing shore leave with the doctor, right before she'd had to transfer to the Lexington. And, judging from the brief glance he threw her, the sparkle in his eyes even visible through the visor of his helmet, McCoy must have had a similar thought.

The short underwater trip in a shuttle that seemed to be made entirely of glass was breathtaking, and Jenny was glad to see even McCoy enjoying himself. Completely enthralled by the colourful beauty of sea life, he'd unconsciously moved towards her, coming to stand close behind her. He clearly needed to share this unique experience with her, and Jenny was sorely tempted to just lean into him.

But they hadn't made their relationship official yet, and when the doctor, obviously realising the same thing, abruptly stopped his arms from wrapping around her waist, simply resting a coy hand on her shoulder instead, she didn't quite know whether to feel relieved or disappointed.

Jenny's thoughts were quickly diverted, however, when they arrived in the capital, a city formed by rounded buildings made of every shade of bright, colourful glass, as far as the eye could see. It was one of the most aesthetically appealing things she'd ever seen.

The welcome they received from the president as well as a dozen government and space agency representatives on their arrival, was exceptionally warm and cordial, and Jenny couldn't help but think how wonderful it would be, if all alien encounters were like this.

The landing party, consisting of Kirk, Spock, Scotty, McCoy, and Jenny, was formally introduced by Calmara, who seemed to be very proud of both her beautiful world and her achievement of bringing back help from outer space. It was strange, Jenny thought, to see Calmara in all her delicate beauty, her big, expressive eyes and her wide friendly smile standing out most, while she and the rest of her colleagues were now swathed in the bulky material of their protection suits.

They were led to a large chamber furnished with a long glass table and stools that proved to be equally comfortable for the Home Worlders and their guests. At least in Jenny's opinion. She'd always been fond of water, swimming and diving for as long as she could remember, and found herself enjoying the effortlessness of floating in this picturesque underwater world immensely. If it weren't for the uncomfortable helmet and her need to breathe oxygen, she could easily imagine staying longer.

So could the captain, she concluded, watching Kirk cheerfully twirl around and even do a little somersault before attempting to sit down, while McCoy and Scotty struggled to hook their feet around the stools' legs, desperately trying to sit still and not float off again. Spock, as always, was the first to sit perfectly straight, seemingly unperturbed by the current.

After a brief introduction, Kirk first, then the president outlining their respective cultures, the conference quickly moved on to the central topic, time undisputedly being of the essence. Leaving all things technical to the others, Jenny concentrated on adjusting the translator if necessary, and took some time to assess all the representatives at the table.

Like Calmara, they seemed a pretty friendly, easy-going and openminded bunch, clearly inclined to put their trust in their new alien acquaintances. All but one, who kept glaring at them suspiciously, quite obviously not an advocate of the space exploring programme, but rather representing the opposition instead. The underwater equivalent of a certain ship's CMO, Jenny thought fondly, almost laughing out loud at the eerily familiar frown on this alien's face. The disapproving representative was friendly enough, however, assuring Kirk as much as his own president that the ever-declining group of objectors was completely under control and could easily be handled.

-x-x-x-x-x-

As the captain, Spock and Scotty discussed the technical details of their plan to save Home World from another meteorite hit with the representatives, McCoy looked around the table and found that he really liked Calmara's people. They were a pleasant change from so many other aliens he'd already encountered in his time. Even the one who clearly wasn't happy with aliens meddling in his planet's affairs seemed amicable enough, conceding that the objectors might be traditionalists, but were definitely not stupid and understood the urgency of the meteorite matter.

The negotiations at the table had moved on to the exchange of technological know-how, more precisely the Federation's help with the meteorite situation for Home World's teleportation technology, and McCoy's gaze fell on Hope, gracefully floating on her stool, engrossed in adjusting the translator and charming the hell out of the alien government. No matter what she wore or did, she was a delight to look at and listen to. Between her and Jim, they could sweet-talk whole planets into most anything they wanted with such seeming ease, it almost made him jealous.

The atmosphere was light and the negotiations were coming along nicely. Everything seemed to be perfect. There was only one thing bothering McCoy. It all went just a tad too smoothly, and it made the doctor uneasy. His experience had taught him that wherever there was light, there was also darkness. And as much as he hoped to be wrong, he couldn't shake a certain sense of foreboding.