Disclaimer: Star Trek is MINE! ALL MINE! Or not, whichever.
Um…nothing in particular to say, I don't think…school has been somewhat lighter lately (it's a miracle, I tell you) so I should have time to be posting quite frequently. ^_^
CHAPTER TWENTY
After attempting, with marginal success, to placate the rather upset Mr. Scott, Kirk moved on to his next order of business: Dealing with Charlie. That in mind, he stood up from the center chair.
"Lt. Uhura, would you mind calling Lieutenant Commander Gray for me?" Kirk requested.
"All right. What do you want me to tell him?" she asked.
"Just ask him to send a couple of guards to the brig. I'll bring Charlie myself," Kirk said grimly. He walked to the turbolift, the doors opening at his approach, then paused on the threshold and glanced back. "You should be very happy, Mr. Spock," he told him. "You finally get to have someone in the brig."
Spock's expression did not change. "Happiness is a human emotion with which I am totally unfamiliar."
Kirk looked at him. "I hope not," he said honestly, then stepped into the turbolift.
* * *
Thirty minutes later, Lt. Cmdr. Gray and two security guards were standing around outside one cell in the brig.
"So…why are we here?" one guard asked.
"Because Kirk asked us to be here," Gray answered.
"Why are we doing what he wants us to do?"
"Because rumor has it that there's going to be a Shark in this cell, and whether we put him there or Kirk puts him there, what counts is that he's there," Gray said firmly, daring the guard to question that.
The guard frowned, and struck a compromise between questioning his superior officer and being quiet. "Seems kind of funny…do you think he's really going to do that?"
His question was answered almost at once, first by the sound of footsteps and then by the people making that sound. Kirk strode down the corridor at a rapid pace, hauling the stumbling Charlie along by his collar. Charlie obviously hadn't come willingly; he was developing a bruise over one eye, and Kirk's lip was bleeding. Nor was Charlie coming along any too happily now.
Charlie slowed his already slow pace as they got closer to the cell. "Walk," Kirk ordered, jerking him forward by a yank on his collar.
Kirk pulled him up to the cell, slapped the controls to lower the forcefield, and shoved Charlie in. The unfortunate pirate sprawled within, twisting around to keep a glare on Kirk.
Kirk glared right back. "That," he informed him, "was stupid."
"You had it coming," Charlie hissed. "And it'd be worth it if I could've derailed your wonderful little plans."
"That's what's stupid," Kirk said flatly. "So I wouldn't let you take over the Sharks. So I hit you. So what. Everything's an equal share. You'd have gotten just as rich from this as me."
"Like hell."
Kirk ignored him, slapped the forcefield back up, and turned towards Gray. He smiled pleasantly. "If there was a brig and a guard on my ship, I wouldn't impose on you, but as things are it's either throw him out an airlock or find someone to watch him. And I didn't think you'd really mind guarding a pirate."
Gray nodded solemnly, the barest crinkling around his eyes spoiling his apparent levity. "We'd be glad to. It will be good preparation for when we have all of you."
Kirk grinned. "Excellent."
"Of course," Gray continued, "it would be easier if we had a couple of phasers…"
Kirk shook his head. "Points for trying, but no."
"It was a shot in the dark anyway."
Kirk nodded, then glanced at Charlie. "Anything you have to say for yourself?"
Charlie was on his feet again by now, and gave Kirk a defiant look. "You're not going to solve anything by throwing me in here. I knew you'd notice I used the communications on our ship eventually, so I took advantage of my moment. The Cambias brothers aren't the only ones I contacted. By now, the whole network knows."
Gray was listening. "What's he talking about?" he asked.
Kirk frowned. "The saying goes that only gossip travels faster than warp ten. By now every criminal this side of Rigel knows we're out here. A starship is very good game, and an awful lot are going to want a piece of this for themselves." Kirk was silent for a moment, then shrugged. "Which will no doubt makes things interesting. Anyway, I've got things to do. Thanks for guarding him for me."
"One pirate's better than none," Gray answered.
Kirk nodded an acknowledgment, and began to walk down the corridor. It was as he was walking away that he overheard the two guards comment to each other.
"Can you imagine Captain Lowell bodily throwing anyone into the brig?"
"No. Not really."
"Me neither. Too bad."
Kirk grinned, and continued down the corridor with a slightly lighter step.
* * *
Sickbay had just gotten things back in control. Which actually hadn't taken very long. Wildly careening ships sent people banging into bulkheads, but bruises and a few broken bones weren't too hard to fix.
But McCoy didn't let that fact stop him from greeting Kirk with, "You did it again."
"It wasn't my fault," Kirk said immediately, without stopping to check what he was accused of.
"Every time you get going with your crazy maneuvering, I have to go to work," McCoy complained.
"Which is just what I'm here about," Kirk announced.
"And here I thought it was a purely social call," McCoy said dryly, leaning back against a counter.
"That too. After all, I haven't been in here yet today."
"I noticed."
"Really? I'm touched."
McCoy rolled his eyes, but Kirk was fairly certain that he was at least somewhat amused, a fact that pleased Kirk considerably.
"Anyway," Kirk continued, "I'm here officially too. Thought I'd come see you about the casualty reports."
McCoy blinked. "Really?"
"Well, yeah. Even if I don't have to report them to Starfleet, for obvious reasons, I still want to know what they are."
McCoy shrugged. "All right. 24 minor injuries, one critical. No dead. Mostly people were tossed into bulkheads. Patched up a lot of broken bones today."
"Well that's fitting," Kirk said, expression grave, eyes dancing.
McCoy gave him a look and let it go. "Nineteen are already back at their posts, five more will be tomorrow."
"Impressive."
McCoy shrugged. "Broken bones and bruises. Any simple country doctor could have handled it, when you come right down to it."
"Still. And thanks for telling me." Kirk started for the door. "I'll see you around, Bones."
McCoy was surprised. "Not going to hang around for twenty minutes and poke into everything?"
"No, I'm going to engineering. Thought I'd see about a damage report."
McCoy's expression was thoughtful. "Hmm."
Kirk looked at him quizzically. "What? Oh wait, I know. Starship captains don't do this, right?"
McCoy shrugged. "Lowell doesn't, anyway." He glanced towards the row of beds at the back of Sickbay, one of which the unconscious Lowell was still occupying. "Maybe I'll mention that to him. When he wakes up."
Kirk smiled. "I'll see you, Bones," he said, and continued to the door.
McCoy nodded. "See you."
The doors were opening and Kirk was stepping out when McCoy abruptly remembered something.
"And it's McCoy, you know!"
Kirk looked back. "I knew that." And then he continued on down the corridor.
* * *
All in all, Kirk's reception in Sickbay hadn't been particularly unfriendly. True, McCoy hadn't exactly welcomed him in and invited him to stay awhile, but he hadn't given him any particularly unfriendly comments either, nor had he tried to throw him out. Things were not quite the same in Engineering.
Scott gave him one look. "Get out."
Kirk held up his hands in a placating gesture. "Can we talk?"
"No. Get out."
"I really think you'd like me, if you got to know me a little. Instead of, you know, constantly ordering me out."
"Get out of my engine room!"
"Give me a damage report and I'll leave," Kirk promised.
Scott stared at him. "What?"
"Damage report. All I want is a damage report. Did I really tear the ship in half, or is she going to pull through? Though if the ship was really in half," Kirk mused, "we wouldn't be having this conversation. Anyway, how is she?"
"Why do you care?" Scotty asked suspiciously.
Kirk shrugged. "Because she's a beautiful ship. Why would I need another reason?"
Scott studied him for a long moment, then accepted it. It wasn't a hard thing to accept really. Scott had more trouble believing it when people didn't appreciate the Enterprise. "Well, that sharp throw right didn't do any favors to the structure, and the inertial dampeners were strained a mite more'n is healthy, but I expect we'll be able to get her fully back in shape soon."
"Excellent," Kirk approved.
Scott looked at him thoughtfully. "So you really came down here just for a damage report then?"
"Sure." When Scott's expression remained thoughtful, Kirk grinned. "Don't tell me. Lowell never does that."
Scott shook his head. "No. Never does. Mayhap he should some time. But how did you know that?"
"I keep hearing things like that," Kirk told him, then flipped up the collar of his jacket and headed out to the corridor, back to the bridge.
~~~***~~~
Wedge: A lot of people are picky about grammar, it seems. My mom is sometimes. I'll be telling her something and I'll say "me and my friend [insert name]" and she'll say "my friend and I," and I'll nod and say, "right, me and my friend…" and continue talking. Anyway…it seemed reasonable that Spock would latch onto the grammar and ignore the message.
Whatshername: The end line was my favorite too. And POTC will be poking in a couple more times, I think, though not in the immediate future. And Trekkie Soul is playing dead. Still.
Mzsnaz: If the Chevy had an anchor, it could probably do it. But, um…why would you want to? And note that Kirk's line was "for not trusting each other, we did pretty damn good." They're aren't really trusting him. Not very far anyway.
Mimi6: If you didn't catch on from the chapter, Charlie was the guy Kirk hit in the Mess Hall a few chapters back. And I love Pirates too.
Bug: I guess Scotty doesn't really care if Kirk's his senior officer or not…mess with the ship, you will be yelled at. : )
MyScheming Mind: A complete load of dilithium crystals…I love that! And I love reviews that are specific, which yours was, so thank you! Though mind you, I love all reviews…but especially ones that pull out specific points to comment on.
PearlGirl: Yay, you're reading this! I've always kind of thought it a shame that you and Alania weren't. Glad to see you're onboard. And as to Stella, you are welcome to her, with my blessings.
Solidchristian-88: I would love to know what some of your theories are, I think that would be fascinating. And who knows, you might not be completely off the mark. It's possible.
'Tis all. More soon.