A/N: I have now watched six episodes. But still, a chunk of this fic will probably not be canon-compliant.

According to some research, the Stardate system changes depending on your location in space and time. Therefore, the Stardates in this fic are not aligned with the Stardates from the series. This fic has no intended chronological placement in the series.

For Vulcan words, I consulted the Memory Alpha Fandom Wiki and The Vulcan Language by Mark Gardner.

Please, no spoilers in the comments.

Hope you enjoy!

Captain's Log, Stardate 1437.1: According to the elapsed time monitor, it has been exactly one hour, twenty-two minutes, and eight point seven seconds since my First Officer excused himself to Medbay to be examined, complaining – I guess you could call it complaining – of tiredness and severe muscle pains. My concern is mounting as the minutes click by and he hasn't come back yet…

"Why don't you go check on them, Captain?"

Kirk was always amazed at how Uhura could listen to messages through her ear receiver and make small talk at the same time. In fact, she could do even more than that – eat her dinner, press buttons, switch between alien tongues at an instant, jot notes. She could reach across from panel to panel and flip the correct switch without so much as batting an eye. A skill she showed off often, though Kirk noticed it much more when Spock wasn't sitting at the panel next to hers.

He sighed heavily and leaned back. "I wouldn't want to bother McCoy with that," he breathed, anxiously keeping track of the elapsed time monitor on the control panel opposite his chair. "You know how he gets, when someone interrupts his 'tests.'"

"Wouldn't be the first time you've interrupted him," Uhura shrugged. "And certainly not the last. Once we arrive at Planet Q13-17, you'll probably wind up in Medbay yourself, knowing you."

Kirk pressed himself up from his chair and wandered over to her station. "That's different."

"Not really." She turned her eyes up at him, a knowing look in her eyes. "Go on, go see what our good doctor's up to."

"I don't think that means what you think it means." An ensign, whose name Kirk had yet to commit to memory, piped up from the center console, where he was training under Sulu.

"I know what I said and I know what I meant," Uhura informed him. She turned her eyes back to Kirk. "Mr. Spock is your friend, Captain. If you're as worried about him as I think you are, go check on him. Dr. McCoy will understand."

Deep down, Kirk knew she was right. Spock was, at least from Kirk's point of view, his best friend on the Enterprise. Even more important, he was First Officer, responsible for the supervision of many tasks on the ship and command of the vessel when the Captain was unavailable. Any absence would undoubtedly cause a major disruption to many ship functions - which would all be labelled the Captain's fault, should the Federation be notified.

It wasn't that Kirk minded the idea of the Federation finding fault with him; it had happened before, and it would probably happen again. But he did want to avoid it. With furrowed brow, he glanced over at the helm panel, meeting the eyes of the new ensign.

"We've got her all under control," the ensign assured him. Sulu elbowed his protégé in the side. "The ship, I mean."

"Do you confirm, Sulu?"

"Positive, sir. Course is steady." Sulu nudged the ensign out of the way of his hands so he could toggle a few controls. "At this rate, it'll take about another day and a half to get to our next destination."

Kirk clapped his hands together, caving. "Very well. I'll head to Medbay and report back shortly. If anything happens, call for me."

Uhura waved him off. "We always do, Captain."