T'Nia looked at Tony with a discerning eye from across the table in the officer's mess hall. "Tony," she started cautiously, setting down her spice tea, "Based on what you have said, I fail to see where Stephen acted inappropriately."
"You've got to be kidding." he quipped.
Her's was a look of mild curiosity as she considered him. "Are you certain you're not letting your emotions cloud your judgement again?"
"Huh?"
Her near photographic mind quickly began recalling incidents to explain her question. "Well, there was the time you were suspended for three days for striking a man you thought was kissing your date... which turned out to be the woman's brother."
"Wait... that was an honest..."
T'Nia began counting with her fingers. "There was the time you locked yourself away for almost a week because you thought another girl was breaking up with you. It turned out she was merely leaving for Mars for a month and you misunderstood her letter."
"Her wording was strange. You said so yourself."
"There was the mall in New Paris, when you called the police because you swore a man was stalking you. He turned out to be a store clerk trying to get back the marking stylus you accidentally took."
"He could have just asked..." He suddenly remembered why picking an arguement with a vulcan was a dumb idea.
She tilted her head and raised an eyebrow. "As your friend I have cautioned you several times on letting your emotions dictate your actions. This time, your temper may have damaged your friendship with Stephen."
"Aw, come on..." Tony started. Now, he thought it was T'Nia making a mountain out of a molehill.
"You are placing Stephen in a very awkward position. He is now forced to measure your value as a friend against your behavior as a subordinate. Logic demands he place the ship's concerns over his friendships."
"It'll blow over, T'Nia. It always does. We've locked horns before... we're just like that. Besides, it's as much his fault as mine." Tony found himself actually thinking nostalgically over some of their past 'discussions'.
T'Nia was not amused. "It always 'blew over' because he was never part of your chain of command. Things change, Tony. You must learn to accept that, when you are both on duty, he is your superior before he is your friend. That is logical. If that's something you cannot accept, then you need to request a transfer. That is the logical alternative." She folded her hands on the table.
Tony thought a moment about that statement. Kirk had always had a higher rank then him... it was a product of the ServPref bill he used to get into the Academy. It had never bothered him until now. Was it because leadership was getting to Steve's head? Or was it because it was getting to his own? "Don't you find it a little... weird... sometimes? You know... he graduated with us. Now he's our superior officer. I helped him get through his systems design classes!" There were four other people in the hall with T'Nia and him. He looked around, noticing everyone was looking at him. He waved his arms. "Sorry!" he offered. "Go back to your meals." Slowly, the other patrons returned to eating.
Tony turned back to T'Nia, who was leaning in closer to him with a 'see what I mean?' look.
Mildly surprised, he remarked, "What?" When he realized he had let his emotions get the better of him again. "Well, it's just who I am." he answered weakly.
"I do not have a problem with Stephen being my superior. He earned it. It's why he's six years older than you. I keep my personal relationships separate from my professional relationships." She countered with another line of logic. "Has it occurred to you that I am also your superior officer?" She flicked the pips on her collar.
Actually, it hadn't. "No... not until now." He struggled in his mind to figure out why Steve's promotion bothered him, but T'Nia's didn't. He couldn't come up with an answer. "What the hell's wrong with me?" He asked.
"I believe that is the more appropriate question to ask." She concluded.