"What?" Kirk demanded when McCoy entered his cabin.
"You seem...upset," his friend commented.
"Is this your professional opinion?" the Captain rasped in response, emptying the glass in his hand neatly.
The Doctor watched him pace for a moment. "Jim, why don't you sit down?"
"You've logged your official medical concern. Is there something else I can do for you?"
"Yes," McCoy replied bluntly. "You can start judging your Security Chief's actions based on what you know about the man."
Kirk snarled, jamming his glass down on the desk. "Bones, she was twelve! I would have unloaded the shotgun into his head before he had the chance to say 'I do'."
"You can't honestly believe that Chekov–even at fifteen–would molest a twelve year old girl. Especially not Tatiana: you've seen how protective he is of her."
"Controlling, I think, is the more appropriate word. And fifteen year old boys...there's no telling what they're capable of."
"Jim," McCoy rasped. "You're talking about Chekov here. He came to us at twenty-one pre-packaged with his own suit of armor and white horse!"
"People can change," the Captain said fiercely.
The Doctor shook his head. "Not that fundamentally."
Kirk's jaw hardened, but he remained silent.
"May I sit down?" McCoy asked after a moment.
"Do I have a choice? You seem intent on staying."
The Doctor sighed as he took a seat. "Jim," he drew out carefully after a moment. "I'm currently Tatiana's Doctor and I've examined her. I can tell you without hesitation that Chekov has never touched her."
"We're talking about Chekov here, Bones. With all his charm he could have talked a twelve year old into doing almost anything he wanted: there wouldn't be any scars. Just because she didn't fight him doesn't make it any more moral. If anything, it makes his actions more insidious."
McCoy drummed his fingers on the desk top silently. "Sit down, Jim," he finally ordered.
Scowling at the Doctor for his no-nonsense tone, Kirk took a seat behind the desk. He folded his arms across his chest and took up a sarcastic, subordinate stance. "Satisfied?"
His long-time friend ignored the sarcasm and sighed heavily again. "Jim, I'm not saying that I have medical proof that Chekov never molested Tatiana. I'm saying that I have medical proof that Chekov's never even touched her."
The Captain's eyes widened in amusement at that. He unfolded his arms, leaning forward to rest them on the desk. A frozen, calculating smile crossed his lips. "Bones, I know twenty-third century medicine is quite exact, but the only thing you can tell me is that he hasn't touched her since we picked her up. You can't identify who her past partners have been."
"I can identify that she's never had any partners," McCoy said bluntly.
"Bones..." Kirk began in protest, but then shot a quick glance at the Doctor. His smile, and the gleam in his eyes, turned ludicrous. "Bones," he continued. "She's twenty-two. You can't honestly be saying..."
"I can be. Honestly."
Kirk closed his mouth abruptly. He began to say something, but then stopped again.
"Jim, Tatiana is a innocent as she looks."
"They've been married eight years!" the Captain protested.
The Doctor shrugged. "Not legally. The antiquated laws on Earth still require more than a statement of commitment to make a marriage legal. Chekov and Tatiana have never met that requirement." He folded his arms across his chest before continuing. "Sulu said the fact that they were married on May 11th of his freshman year at the Academy would mean something to you."
"May 11th while he was a first level cadet?" Kirk repeated curiously. "You're mistaken, Bones."
"No," the Doctor insisted. "I'm sure it was May 11th."
The Captain scowled and shook his head. "That's not possible. May is finals month at Starfleet Academy: it's a closed campus the entire time. No one is allowed to enter or leave the premises during May. To violate that rule is an automatic expulsion, no questions asked."
McCoy snorted. "Than one has to wonder how Chekov managed to leave to get married in St. Petersburg and still graduated, got a commission, and ended up as your Security Chief.
"I know the personnel records are the First Officer's responsibility, Jim, but maybe you should spend some time with them occasionally."
Kirk eyed him, bemused. "Seems to me that I put most of the content in them myself, Doctor."
"The people on this ship existed before they were posted to the Enterprise," McCoy commented. "Or hasn't this incident reminded you of that?"
The Captain stared at him a long moment. "Haven't you just broke several dozen confidentiality laws?"
The Doctor stood. "Ship's business," he commented. "You're ready to toss your Security Chief out on his ear."
Kirk glared at him, but McCoy's response was a grin.
"What are friends for?"