Chapter Two

The thrum of the ships' engine was the only constant that intruded upon the sleepy silence of the bridge, most of the low ranking officers lulled by the monotony of nonactivity. Sulu however was bored, and being on the night shift didn't provide much of an outlet for his energy. Conversation on the bridge had all but ground to a hault two hours ago, and the only person still alert was a vulcan communications officer, and when Sulu attempted to draw her in to conversation she had answered with monosylables that hardly provided a distraction to the restlessness building in him. He glanced over at Chekov who was slumped in his chair, his eyes half closed, and Sulu wondered if he'd succumbed to sleep. "Ensign Chekov!" Sulu barked in a fair imitation of Kirk's commanding tone.

Chekov jerked to a sitting position, then hastily stumbled to his feet. "Vat? Yes sir?"

Sulu's full booming laugh permeated the bridge and the comunications officer shot him a stern glance which he pointedly ignored. "Hikaru," Chekov sighed, sinking in to his chair, "datvas not funny."

"Sure it was," came Sulu's immediate response, "you should've seen the look on your face."

Mumbling what were undoubtedly complaints in Russian, Chekov turned back to his empty view screen, but Sulu was too amused to allow the prank to be passed over so quickly. "Did you really think I was the captain?"

"Of course I did," Chekov grouched, "vy do you think I reacted like dat? You don't think you vould have got dat kind of response, do you?"

Ignoring Chekov's grumbling he said, "Do you think Spock will come to the Christmas party Uhura is planning?"

Chekov gave a negative shake of the head. "He doesn't like parties. He didn't even vant to stay for de decoration of de tree."

"Yes, but he did stay." Sulu observed.

"Only because de keptain vanted him to. Maybe de keptain vill order him to come to de party."

"He can't order people to go to parties unless they're manditory for a diplomatic mission." Sulu pointed out.

"Den he'll stay in his quarters until all us illogical humans have finished celebrating." Chekov said. "Either dat, or he'll lock himself in a science lab."

Sulu appeared thoughtful. "I wonder if we could get Spock in a celebratory mood."

Chekov lowered his voice so the communications officer wouldn't hear. "Wulcans don't get in moods, much less celebratory ones."

"Yes, but he can't be alone for Christmas, that's just wrong."

"Vell, how do you propose to get him in de Christmas spirit?" Chekov wanted to know.

"I'm not rightly sure," Sulu mused, "maybe we could get him a gift."

"Yeah right," Chekov scoffed, "you don't think dat vould really vork, do you? He'd most likely ask vat de logic is in giving him gifts ven he doesn't observe de holidays."

Sulu sighed. Spock would never refuse a gift, but he would question the giver as to their motives, and if their reasons weren't logical he would accept the gift graciously, and one could almost see the bewilderment in his expression. No, a gift wouldn't do. It would have to be something that involved Spock directly, and Sulu thought he knew what to do. He explained his idea to Chekov who looked so shocked and immediately protested. "Have you taken leave of your senses, Hikaru? There's no vay to pull it off, and even if there vas, ve'd most likely get caught."

"Not if we're careful," Sulu insisted enthusiastically, "we'll do it at a time when he least expects it, sometime when he won't be there."

Chekov sighed, he would be pulled in to this scheme whether he wanted to help or not. After all, Sulu needed an accomplice, didn't he?

"Ve could sneak in ven he's sleeping." Chekov suggested.

"Are you kidding?" Sulu exclaimed, "he'd hear us as soon as we stepped through the door, then how would we explain our presence?"

"Ve could say ve're having a problem vith de computers and need to look at his." Chekov tried hopefully.

But Sulu was shaking his head even before Chekov had finished."That would look too suspicious. He'd want to know why we hadn't apprised him of the situation so he could help with the repairs. No, there has to be another way."

Chekov looked gloomy. "There is no other vay."

They were discussing the dilemma over breakfast and so far had come up empty. Sulu's food went untouched as he mulled over the problem, but by the time Chekov had finished his waffles and orange juice he still hadn't thought of anything. Admitting defeat for the moment, Sulu made his way to his quarters, hoping inspiration might come before they ran out of time.

The crash sounded magnified in the silence of the ships' night, and with most crew members sleeping, they ran the risk of rousing others who would ask uncomfortable questions, questions they weren't prepared to answer. After waiting several agonizing seconds, and when no one emerged from their quarters, Chekov moved with caughtious steps to the door, Sulu impatiently waiting. "What happened, Pavel?" he demanded in a whisper.

"I tripped and dropped de ornaments." Chekov said, irritated that Sulu had to ask.

The dim illumination that lit the coridors lent itself to shadows and vague outlines and little else. Squinting, Sulu peered in to the box Chekov held. Several glittering bulbs were crowded in with other decorations, and by their delicate old-style earth appearance, Sulu could see they were antiques. Having no desire to linger outside the first officers' quarters where people might spot them, Chekov overrode the security code with a little handheld device he had purchased on a shore leave two years ago, and they slipped inside, and only when the doors hissed shut did Sulu dare to speak. "Where did you find those ornaments, Pavel?"

Chekov grinned like a satisfied child who has just accomplished a task and pulled out one of the bulbs with an elaborate flourish. "Dey are from Russia," he proclaimed, "my mama and papa gave dem to me ven I vas a little boy. Dey vanted me to appreciate my heritage, and since dese ornaments have been passed down through generations of our family, dey thought dis vould be a good vay to promote dat desire. Ven I joined Starfleet I brought dem along vith me so I vould have some vay to celebrate de holidays and enjoy a bit of home in de process."

Sulu was quite touched by this narative, but not knowing how to express it, he set his own box on the floor. "So you've brought the decorations, and I've brought the tree and lights."

The tree was not the artificial ones that were sold in shops all over the federation, but a genuine live fir tree that flooded the room with the familiar smell of pine as Sulu carefully lifted it from the box. It was a miniature of the full-sized tree, and would do nicely for their purposes. "Vere did you get dat?" Chekov asked, impressed.

Now it was Sulu's turn to grin. 'I've been growing it in the arboretum. I like their fragrance, and it was rather fun to watch it grow."

Chekov began gathering decorations. "Ve'd better hurry before he comes back."

Agreeing wholeheartedly with this warning they set to the task of adorning Spock's quarters with shiny red and green bulbs, weaving garland around the room and displaying the tree on a small table that had previously been filled with data pads. Footsteps outside froze them where they stood, chekov reaching up to place the star on the top most branch, and Sulu poised to activate the Christmas lights. There would be no way to explain why they were in Spock's private quarters, caught in the act of holiday decorating. The footsteps paused outside the door for a moment then moved on, and releasing sighs of relief, they finished quickly and exited Spock's quarters. "Vat do you think he'll do once he discovers vat ve have done?" Chekov asked anxiously.

Sulu chuckled. "I don't know, but we won't claim responsibility unless it's absolutely necesary."

Chekov only hoped it wouldn't come to that.