Jim Kirk looked around his conference table excitedly. A new planet to explore! It had been months since they'd been off ship. If he'd dared to look even remotely unprofessional, he'd be bouncing on the balls of his feet.
"Alright great!" Kirk rubbed his hands together. "Now that Scotty's here we can begin. We've been orbiting a class-M planet for the last 48 hours. Things seem stable. It's time to go down and explore!"
Jim, you sound like a kid at Christmas," Bones groused. "How do you know the surface is in fact class-M?"
"Spock, Sulu?" Kirk winked at his lead science officers.
"Doctor, I assure you the air is breathable." Spock nodded slightly. "It has been tested. It is 22% oxygen, 73% nitrogen, and 5% helium. Further, while we have not physically been on the surface, we have studied it for the last twelve hours and it appears to be rich in iron, igneous rock and other various minerals."
"I've been able to classify at least eight different plant life forms," Sulu grinned. "That is just in the latest quadrant we've been surveying. I'd love to see more. I mean I have seriously never seen trees that look like what I am seeing on this planet. The leaves are almost iridescent. It's absolutely incredible. There are two suns but I am not detecting chlorophyll at all. I just want to get a closer look."
"I totally get it Sulu," Kirk nodded enthusiastically. "I'll make sure you get down there with a team of your choice."
"I still don't know Jim," Bones shook his head. "Wouldn't just a cursory survey from up here be good enough? We report our findings back to Starfleet and they can send someone to check it out."
"Send someone else…" Kirk raised an eyebrow and a touch of irritation. "When we're right here? What the hell do you think we're out here for Bones, if not to explore."
"I just hate to see you, or anyone else for that matter, end up hurt in another hair brained scheme."
"Mister Spock," Jim ignored his friend "you've scanned for life signs?"
"Yes Captain," Spock replied. "There are a variety of signals coming from the planet. The most humanoid seem to be located in the southern hemisphere. The average temperature seems to be about ten degrees celsius. The northern hemisphere rarely goes above negative twenty degrees."
"We'll observe, but from a distance," Kirk nodded. "We don't know if they've reached warp capabilities yet and I wouldn't dare mess with the prime directive."
"Again," Bones interrupted.
Jim rolled his eyes. "Uhura, you picking up any transmissions, anything?"
"Not much of anything too advanced Captain," Uhura looked at her padd. I get some radio waves every now and then, but they are small."
"Likely too soon for Starfleet to make first contact," Jim nodded. "But nevertheless, still worth checking out."
"Chekov, landing site coordinates?"
"Sir, there is a large rock formation on the far side of the planet near Mister Sulu's trees that would work nicely," Chekov suggested. "I'd hate to place you any further south and risk meeting the people. I do recommend a strong security detail Sir."
"Of course Chekov."
"Who wants to join Sulu and I on the surface?" Kirk grinned broadly.
"I went last time Captain," Uhura shook her head. "I doubt you'll need my help anyways."
"If you plan to go Laddie, I should stay here," Scotty said to Chekov.
"If you are sure Mister Scott."
"Aye," Scotty nodded. "I need to file some paperwork on supplies anyway." The engineer frowned.
"Scotty, I asked for that paperwork three days ago," Kirk shook his head. "Yeah, you're staying ship-side, and no playing around in engineering either. You know Keenser will rat you out."
"Jim, I sense that you are most excited to go explore the planet. Perhaps I should also stay onboard and send Sulu and Lieutenant Kober in my place."
"Spock, I will make sure Kober and I get back so you get a chance to go down as well," Kirk nodded, appreciatively. "Sulu, who are you bringing with you?"
"Marcus of course," Sulu immediately suggested.
"Of course," Kirk chuckled. "She wouldn't let you have all the fun."
"And….Jeffers?
"Okay, and Chekov, you, Cupcake and Vorik?
"Sir, Lieutenant Giatto has asked you several times to stop calling him Cupcake." Chekov frowned.
"The day he beats me in a good old bar brawl, then I'll stop the nickname."
"Infant," McCoy sighed.
"Bones," Jim clapped a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Glad you're still with us. You're coming dirt side."
"What?!" McCoy spluttered. "I most certainly am not."
"Someone's gotta make sure I stay out of trouble down there," Jim winked at Uhura who refused to play along.
"Jim, I'm a doctor not a babysitter."
"You're the best doctor in Starfleet and I need you with me,"
"I am supposed to be up here taking care of you when this whole thing goes sideways."
"Bones,"
"Jim, no" McCoy pled.
"Len, you're coming. That's an order," Kirk's playful mood had worn off. He was sick of McCoy's constant whining and questioning his every move. Maybe some time alone down on the planet would afford them some time for a heart to heart. Thankfully, McCoy shut up when he was ordered to join the landing party. "Alright everyone. Chekov, you notify the landing party. Sulu, get what you need to do your botany scans. Meet in the transporter room in one hour. Scotty, get to that paperwork….or you're cleaning engineering with a toothbrush. Dismissed."
Everyone hurried to get where they needed to be. Everyone but McCoy. He leveled Jim with a hard look.
"You've never ordered me to join a landing party before Jim, What's so important about this one," He asked when they were alone.
"You've never made it come to this," Jim snapped. "What the hell is going on Bones?"
"I guess I am just tired of rushing from some planet where negotiations go wrong, having to pander to some ambassador, or patching you up when you come back with a ruptured spleen and broken ribs for the fifth time."
Jim let McCoy say his piece. Gave a curt nod and stood u. "You're in the landing party and due to the transport in fifty eight minutes." Then promptly left the ready room. If anyone asked, Jim would say it was to get ready to go to the surface, but deep down, it was more. Jim knew he'd say something he'd regret if he'd responded to his friend.
At the appointed time, the away team met in the transport room. Jim's excitement was back, but McCoy took no part of it. Sulu, Carol Marcus and Gael Jeffers were all talking quite animatedly about the samples they hoped to get. The party took their positions, and at the Captain's nod, were transported down to the surface.
"Quite chilly," Jeffers commented as everyone took their first look around. "Glad we brought the extra gloves."
"Alright group," Kirk clapped his hands. "Vorik, Cup...Giatto, you're with Sulu, Marcus and Vorik." Kirk winked at the burly security officer who simply sighed and adjusted his pack. "Chekov, Bones, Kober, you're with me. Stay sharp and meet back here in three hours." After a chorus of aye sir, the group split to do their investigations.
"Kober," keep an eye out for wildlife." Kirk suggested. We shouldn't run into the humanoids this far north, but we should be on the lookout for unknown animals.
The party slowly started moving in a southerly direction. After walking for thirty minutes and not seeing a thing, Jim was starting to get bored. At an hour, he was checking his comm to make sure they were in fact still going south.
"We'll have to turn back soon and we haven't seen a blasted thing," Jim whined.
"You've seen, some rocks, a few shrubs, I would call that nothing," McCoy scoffed as he hurried along.
"Bones, up here with me," Kirk ordered, not looking back. McCoy quickly moved to Jim's side. "Chekov, Kober, go gather some rock samples." When Jim and McCoy were alone again, Jim sat quietly for a minute thinking about what he would say.
"I get it Jim," McCoy spoke up first. "A little cabin fever gets to everyone now and then."
"Why are you out here?" Jim finally asked.
"Why am I out here?" McCoy repeated. "I am asking myself that same question. You ordered it Jim. Why am I here? It's not like you need a doctor down here."
"Not on this mission, Bones. Seriously, why are you out on a five year space exploration mission if you are afraid of every little thing that goes bump in the night?" Jim sighed. "God, I love you like a brother, you are the best doctor in Starfleet but we are here to explore and you're just...you're being...you."
"Jim, I am all for exploration and expanding our known universe. I know there is danger out there. I can help keep you and 835 other people mostly safe from that stuff. It is the unknown danger that keeps me up at night. And knowing that you are purposefully seeking that out is enough to drive anyone up the wall. You went 23 years on your own, only looking out for yourself. You gotta let us help you now."
"I did pretty darn good for those 23 years," Jim responded coolly. "I survived a lot of stuff without being on your damn leash."
"Jim…" McCoy suddenly stiffened.
"If you can't…"
"Jim shut up," McCoy shushed Jim and crouched behind a rock formation.
"Bones, you can't," Jim didn't notice McCoy turn his phaser to stun. McCoy reached out and grabbed Jim, covering his mouth and pulling him down. Jim instantly pulled out his tricorder and tried to look for a reading. Two lifeforms making their way towards Jim and McCoy. Jim shut his tricorder and quietly got his phaser out as well. Keeping them trained on the direction they heard movement from, the men waited. Suddenly, Bones thought of Chekov and Kober, a good 75 yards away from them.
"Stay down," Jim hissed.
In seconds, two large animals that looked like a cross between a dog and a turtle around the rocks. Jim and McCoy stiffened and watched, keeping their eyes locked on the strange animals. When they let out a sharp hissing noise, Jim knew that was not a good sign. He and McCoy tried to climb up higher on the rocks next to them, but with no success. Without footholes, they had nowhere to go. The animals continued advancing, and Jim noticing one was about to pounce on McCoy aimed and fired. The animal let out a yelp and fell to the ground. The other went for Jim's outstretched arm.
"Arrrgh!" Jim cried as the animal's sharp teeth clamped down on his arm. McCoy quickly recovered and stunned the second. Gasping for a breath, Jim looked down at the stunned animal. "Help me get him off," Jim breathed hard. In the animal's state of shock he'd bitten hard and held on. Bones was able to carefully open the animal's jaw and free Jim, but it was clear that Jim's time planet-side was over.
"I gotta get you back to the ship and look at that arm," McCoy muttered.
A barking noise drew both men's attention back in the direction the dogs had come.
"Oh shit," Jim muttered, seeing a planet resident making his way towards them. The alien was still communicating Jim guessed as it continued making barking noises. Jim quickly held up both hands, realizing he still held a phaser, he quickly put it away and raised both hands again. "Put your phaser away and hands up," Jim muttered.
"We mean no harm," Jim said loudly and slowly.
The alien barked further, looking at the two dog/turtles.
Jim glanced down at the stunned animals. "They attacked us." Jim pointed to his bleeding arm.
The alien didn't seem to understand. It's barks became a wail as it noticed the two downed animals.
"They will be okay," Jim said. "They're just stunned."
The alien showed no signs of understanding and after looking at the two animals, looked up at Jim and McCoy savagely.
"God, I could really use Uhura's help right about now," Jim muttered. "They will be okay."
"I didn't think we were supposed to see people," McCoy was slowly trying to back away.
"Who knows, maybe we landed closer than we thought," Jim shrugged. "He's a hunter," Jim suddenly commented.
"What," McCoy looked around at the alien.
They could see a weapon resembling a bow across the alien's shoulders, and a knife at what they assumed was his hip.
"Peace," Jim repeated, trying to back away. The alien advanced on them closer. Without taking his eyes off the alien, Jim carefully pulled out his communicator. When it beeped to life, the alien barked and stepped closer.
"Easy Jim," McCoy warned.
"Chekov, Kober, time to head back to the ship," Jim spoke in no nonsense tone.
"Aye sir. Meet at the transport spot?" Kober responded.
"We're leaving from right here. You head out in a minute." Jim kept slowly backing away from the advancing alien.
"Aye sir," Kober answered.
"Scotty, two to beam up now," Jim said forcefully.
"Just give me a second to shift the coordinates sir," Scotty responded.
The alien was closing in and had pulled his knife.
"Now, Scotty, now is good," Kirk called anxiously.
"Gotcha," Scotty exclaimed and in moments, Jim and McCoy were surrounded by the glow of the transporter beams.
As soon as they materialized on the ship, Jim sank down on the transport pad steps.
"Jim, you okay to walk to sickbay," McCoy asked. "I gotta look at your arm."
"Yeah, yeah," Jim shook his head. "Man that was a vicious bite. Chekov and Kober need to come up, they weren't far from us."
"I got them," Scotty answered, and pressed a few buttons on his panel. "What about Sulu and his team?"
Jim shook a wave of dizziness off of him and stood again on shaky feet. "Let 'em know they have fifteen minutes to wrap up and get back to the ship. Let 'em know we're back. Tell 'em….tell 'em…" Jim felt himself wavering.
"Tell them the Captain was attacked by an animal. We met one of the aliens. They need to be careful and watch their backs," McCoy snapped. He wrapped an arm around Jim's waist and quickly pulled him towards sickbay.
"Jim you lost a lot of blood, but I think you'll be okay," McCoy sighed as he finished bandaging Jim's arm. I didn't see any signs of disease or infection where you were bitten. I will want to check again in a few hours just to be sure.
Jim nodded and smiled thinly. "Thanks Bones. I'll let Spock know, and he and Chekov should pick new coordinates when they go back down."
"Go back down," Bones exclaimed. "Ya'll aren't going back down there."
"Relax, I won't go." Jim sighed. "It's just a small bite and you have me patched up. But I'll stay."
"Jim, what more do you need to see from this planet?" McCoy demanded. "Sulu got his samples, and you got attacked by the strangest dogs I've ever seen. Were those shells on their backs? You're gonna get people killed if you keep tempting fate like this."
Jim nodded slightly. "Am I free to go?"
McCoy sighed. "Yeah," and absentmindedly waved Jim on.
"Walk with me Bones."
"Again?"
"Humor me," Kirk replied with no humor to his voice.
The two men walked down the corridor.
"Where are we going?" McCoy finally asked.
"The bridge," Jim nodded.
Sure enough, a quick turbolift ride later the two men came onto the bridge. Spock stepped aside. Jim walked to his chair but did not sit down.
"Spock, you can prepare to head down to the planet when you're ready. Chekov and Scotty are working out new coordinates."
"Jim, why did you bring me up here?" McCoy asked. "I have to file the paperwork on your arm.
"Have a seat Bones, it's really comfortable," Jim smiled.
"What?"
"Have. A. Seat." Jim's voice was hard as he gestured to his captain's chair. Slowly McCoy sat down eyeing Jim. Was this some weird side effect to being bitten. It was a really comfortable seat, McCoy had to admit.
"You think you could do better McCoy," Jim almost sneered. "It's yours."
"What's mine?"
"Captain?"
"McCoy's got the conn. McCoy knows what's best for everyone. McCoy's in charge now." Jim said quickly. With that he turned on his heel and stormed off the bridge.
"Jim," McCoy called after his friend rising from the seat.
"I know the captain likes a good prank, but this is…" Spock was at a loss for words for once.
Standing next to the chair, McCoy hit the communications button. "Jim what are you talking about, get back here." There was no response. "Jim! Answer me!"
"Doctor McCoy, what is the meaning of all this?" Spock asked.
"Jim's in a mood," McCoy muttered. He couldn't bring himself to sit in the captain's chair again.
Spock raised an eyebrow and turned to leave the bridge himself.
"Spock, where are you going?" McCoy hollered.
"I am preparing to transport down to the planet Doctor."
"You can't just leave the bridge without anyone in command," McCoy snapped. "Even I know that."
"You are quite right," Spock nodded briefly. "Luckily, the Captain left you in command."
"I don't want it," McCoy's voice rose an octave or two, quite embarrassingly.
"You can ask the captain to take command back, but as of now, he has told me to report to the planet, and he has left you in charge." Spock nodded to Uhura who had watched the scene play out with amazement. She said nothing as Spock turned and left the bridge as well.
McCoy remained planted where he stood. He watched Spock leave in amazement, then looked to Uhura for support. She gave none as she turned back to her station and started typing away. "When I get my hands on Kirk, I'll kill him myself." McCoy thought to himself as he slowly and awkwardly sat down in the now offensive chair.
To be continued if there is interest! :)