CCR: Ocean Front Property parts 1 thru 9 as posted to Yahoo Groups.
By AuCat
S/CC, eventually but nothing's off limits
Rated PG-13 for now, but you never know. (EG)
A/N: Starts immediately after ST: TMP but will include events way before TOS and after TNG. This story is mostly about CC but will involve the whole cast of characters, especially Spock ;) This is my first attempt at fanfic, so PLEASE COMMENT! Anything please, feel free to tell me if you hate it or you think I've lost character's voices. Any constructive criticism only makes me better. My chapters are pretty small I know, but I'm writing this on a handheld. :) All characters belong to Paraborg but will be returned in fair to mint condition.
The ship was a mess. V'ger's attack had taken a heavy toll upon its crew. Most of the crew was still in shock over the loss of their charismatic young captain. Will Decker had been more than a captain, Christine Chapel reflected, he had been a troop leader. Most of the crew on the ship had been new to the Enterprise, many new to the positions they held. He had coached and encouraged his young, green crew into their new lives. They were all so eager to please and ready to begin their new five year mission. He was ready, too. Better not to think about right now, she thought. Melancholy was not part of who she was anymore. Ilia's loss had hurt though. She'd barely even got to see her beautiful young friend. Pavel's injury had actually given her a few moments with her, but then she was gone. Regret is illogical, an old voice said in her mind. Yes, but reflection is how we learn, she responded, it's not my fault if sometimes it hurts like a bitch. So she turned her thoughts back around to the present and her new crew and her new job.
Of course her job was not as new as she thought it would be, CMO-a great big title for a job she'd actually been doing all along. She'd almost killed Len when he walked through the door. The beard was the only thing that saved him. He WAS cute, dammit. He'd said he didn't want to take her job, she'd said that was fine (he'd never really done it in the first place). They'd hugged, kissed and renewed their friendship like they hadn't lost a day, even though they both knew better. They were equals now and she decided that he would know it. Hell, technically she outranked him. She'd be CMO; he'd be chief surgeon and Jim Kirk's pal.
Jim Kirk, now that was something to think about. Once again Captain James T. Kirk had arrived to the rescue. He'd strolled right in like the juggernaut he always been. Save the world and kiss the girls, halleluiah, Captain Kirk was back. Of course he hadn't really saved the day this time, had he; but he'd done enough. He got the ball rolling. He reunited his past and taken charge of his future. Things were the way nature intended. The big three had returned. You know nature abhors a vacuum, she thought. The Captain, his "Bones" and Mr. Spock together at last, again. Mr.Spock, oh boy, now that was a thought...
Mr. Spock. In all honesty she thought that that one was out of her system. Then bigger than life and twice as regal, he'd appeared. All of a sudden she'd been a rookie ensign again. "Mr.Spock!" she'd exclaimed in a girlish squeal. Looking back she just wanted to throw up just thinking about it. Why did that man have the ability to suddenly make her stupid? She swore her IQ dropped 100 points at his mere glance. Ok, let go of this, she thought, old history. Well not that old, she thought with wiry smile. With a derisive snort she cleared her head and stepped on to the bridge.
"Hey Chris, there you are", Lt. Commander Uhura said as Chris walked on the bridge.
"OK Ny, what's so important that we couldn't talk over the comm.?" Chris asked suspiciously.
"Well it not that it's important, but…" the communications officer started.
"But we knew you couldn't say no to both of us in person", the helmsman said from behind her.
Chris swung around quickly on him. "Hikaru Sulu, what the hell do you want?"
"We're going to Starbase 14 for repairs."
"So…"
"We're gonna be there for a week", he said with a child-like voice.
"And?"
"Reliant's there", he said sheepishly.
Chris turned around and looked at Uhura. "Have you already invited everyone?" Chris said.
"Maybe", Uhura responded meekly.
Chris huffed and said, "Well obviously I've already lost this argument."
"Love you, Chris", Sulu said from behind her, and then he practically yelled across the quiet bridge, "Pav, we're going to the beach."
It was at this time that the big three walked on the bridge.
"Beach, what beach?" asked Kirk with a casual smile.
Uhura looked at Chris with a beaming smile.
"Fine, old home week. We could probably use it. Just try to keep it under twenty, OK." Chris responded and walked off the bridge shaking her head.
"Well, what was that about hon?" McCoy asked in his southern drawl.
"Risa," Uhura said, slapping her hand on her console in triumph. "Would you gentlemen like to join us?" she asked coyly.
"Can you really find room for us? I understood that Risa was crowded right now because of the music festival", Kirk said.
"Well I happen to know someone with this great ocean front property", Uhura said with a positively evil smile.
The closer the Enterprise got closer to Risa, the more out of control "The Enterprise First Annual Reunion Party" got. Of course Chris didn't know that was what Sulu and Uhura were calling it. Had she known she might have objected and that just wouldn't do. Reliant had been hailed and all members RSVP'd. It was discovered with much delight that the Bozeman was in orbit as well so a few extra numbers were added. Uhura had the list at eighteen and was supremely proud of herself. She felt it was a good mixture of people and was bound to create a time of old stories and old friends. Not too many engineers to bore. Not too many old loves to hurt. A few for entertainment's sake though. Tonia Barrows had been tickled pink to find out McCoy was coming and Scotty was dying to see M'Ress. Orders for food and beverage were being called in from multiple fronts. Chris had called her "good friend" on Risa and was having the house and other "things" prepared. Actually, that was the only thing that was bothering Uhura. Chris has gotten surprisingly dodgy about who her friend was and what "things" were being prepared. She wouldn't even let Uhura make the call for her and had just given her the channel to use. A little snooping on Uhura's part had discovered that the channel was for a casino/club but not to whom, specifically, the call was for. So a good time it looked like it was going to be. That was before party guest number nineteen.
"Uhura?" Kirk said.
"Yes Captain" the communications officer responded.
"Do we have room for one more?" Kirk asked.
"The more the merrier. Who is it?"
"Spock. I know he generally doesn't take shore leave, but after the whole V'ger thing, I think he's kind of needs to interact with people. I was thinking it might be good for him to relax among friends. I don't know your whole list, but its all former Enterprise crew, right?"
"Oh yes, it's safe to say that he will know everyone. It's just it's kind of a rowdy group. That and it's Dr. Chapel's home. If you think he'd be comfortable with that, I'm sure she'd be okay."
"I didn't realize we were staying at her house, I just thought she had a good connection on a hotel. How many are coming?"
"Well Mr.Spock makes nineteen, but don't worry Dr. Chapel's place isn't a house. It's an estate. Sulu and I about got lost last time we were there. It's bigger than some Starfleet facilities."
"How did she get a home like that?" the Captain asked in surprise.
"Didn't you know? She's rich, real rich. Risa isn't her only home either. Guess it pays to be an admiral's daughter."
"An Admiral! I never knew that, and I've known her a while. I don't remember an Admiral Chapel."
"No her father was Admiral Ross. Alan Chapel was her step-father."
"What? Admiral Ross, he's a legend. Her personnel file doesn't say anything about that."
"Believe me sir, Christine Chapel's personnel file is a joke. Her birthday isn't even right. I tried to surprise her the first year she was here and she said I had the wrong date because her birthday wasn't for another two months. When I asked her about it she just smiled and said 'you try being an Admiral Chris Ross's daughter."
"Hmm" the captain said thoughtfully "that might just do it, you know. Mr. Spock loves a mystery."
As it turned out, Spock couldn't say no. As a reaction to the weird energy waves V'ger had bombarded the Enterprise with, Starfleet had decided to do a full shutdown of all ship systems and basically restart everything. Mr. Scott was beside himself, he'd finally gotten the engines where he wanted them and now "the idiots will tinkering with it and messin' up me work" he was heard to say. Spock, on the other hand, was busy trying to convince the Starbase commander that he should be in charge of the computers in depth overhaul.
"Commander Spock, I understand how you feel about it. I know it's your ship and you work very closely with these systems, but honestly you've been out of Starfleet for over a year and many of these have brand new protocols." Commodore Graves said with a slightly condescending tone.
"Sir, I do not feel any way about it. I am the person most familiar with these systems and I know the effects the "V'ger" probe had on them. As far as your "brand new protocols", I wrote them before my leave from Starfleet, Sir" Spock said.
"Well that maybe the case, Commander, but as of 0930 hours tomorrow the Enterprise will be under my team's care and I expect all ship's personnel to depart. Do I make myself clear?" the Commodore said in a clipped voice.
"Of course, sir."
"Dismissed."
As Spock left the Commodore's office to head back to the ship he was stopped suddenly by a voice.
"So I guess you'll be joining us after all. Mac wouldn't let you stay with the ship, huh?"
Spock turned around to see Christine Chapel out of uniform and carrying a huge box. "Dr. Chapel, you know the Commodore?"
"Oh yeah, Mac's a real peach, but that what he gets for trying to be superior with a Vulcan. Don't worry, Mr. Spock, we'll do our best to keep you entertained" she said with a wink. Chris knew she was trying to hard, but dammit she was going to get comfortable around him. No matter what it took.
Spock for his part was surprised with the ease she had in speaking to him. This was actually the first time they had spoken since his return.He looked at her and realized that this was far from the woman he had known before. Her now dark hair was loose around her shoulders, a far cry from the elaborate styles she had worn when it was blond. He was just about to be polite and comment on the change when she lost her grip on the box. Spock superior reflexes were the only thing that stopped the box from hitting the ground. He was shocked at the weight of the container.
"What are you carrying?" he asked perplexed at noises he heard from the box.
"Oh thank you! It's just a few things I prefer the Starbase personnel not handle. I'll take it back" she said easily taking the box back from him with no strain showing. "By the way, do you like Tarkalean tea or should I get you something else?"
"That would be fine, Miss-Dr. Chapel" he said quickly correcting himself.
"Okay, see you on Risa. You may want to bring a jacket, it gets a little chilly at night" she said lightly and turned toward the departing shuttles.
Spock had been so surprised at the encounter that he completely lost any thought on how she could have possibly heard his discussion with the Commodore.
"Dammit, you pointed eared computer, how does a walking watch possibly be late?" McCoy said gruffly.
"I apologize Doctor. I discovered that the technical crew working on the environmental sub-routines had completely missed a section of the code necessary for the program to function properly. I had to make sure that system would respond properly" said Spock.
"But did you have to spend six hours working on it? Everyone else has probably been together for hours!"
"Then you will not have to take time to greet individual people as they come in. You always said that receiving lines were the worst thing about formal receptions on ship."
"Now don't you dare try to make this out like you did me a favor. This ain't a formal reception, Spock, it's a party!"
"You know, Bones, you could have gone ahead without us" Kirk said passively.
"And explain why I'd left you alone to get him off the ship, not damn likely. For some reason I can't explain, people are actually looking forward to him coming. M'Benga said he'd have a bottle of Saurian brandy waiting for me if I actually got him to show up."
"Doctor M'Benga will be at the house?" Spock asked.
"Yea, he's the CMO on the Reliant. By the way Jim, how did he rate Ames? She's a damn good nurse; I'd like to get her back on Enterprise."
"Ah, no can do Bones. You haven't heard, she and M'Benga are a package deal now" Kirk responded.
"When did that happen? Boy you try to retire for a little bit and all of a sudden you're out of the loop."
"Well from what I understand, Chris put them in touch back on Earth. She told Ames that if she really wanted to find a good Vulcan restaurant, she should ask him" Kirk said.
"Well that's just horseshit; Christine knows all the best restaurants of any cuisine."
Jim simply smiled.
"Oh, well she's always had good instincts. At least about other people anyway. Sorry" he said nodding towards Spock.
"No offense was taken Doctor. Am I to understand that Doctor Chapel arranged Dr. M'Benga and Nurse Ames relationship?" Spock said.
"Yep, she always had good instincts about making people happy. I wish I'd listened to her a time or two. Uhura's great at setting up a fun date, but Chris, she makes couples that last" Kirk said with a shake of his head.
At that moment the Aircar they had be riding in stopped.
"Gentlemen, here we are" the driver said "Xanandu."
To say the house was impressive was an understatement. The front of the house appeared to be entirely made of glass. Instead of the glare one might expect it seemed to shimmer as if it was absorbing the light around it. The house was tall, at least three stories and came to a peak in the middle in a large A-frame architecture. The long wood beams and stone supports seemed to blend effortlessly into the beach and surrounding foliage. There were no noticeable roads leading to the house and nothing separating the house from its environment. There were a few large trees swaying in breeze around the house and the back of the house appeared to lead straight to the ocean. There was loud cheerful music coming from the back.
"Wow" Kirk whispered.
"It has a name?" McCoy exclaimed.
"Of course sir" the driver said as they exited the car "Xanandu was the first privately built home on Risa. This is a terraformed world after all. Admiral Ross was one of our founding fathers and Christine has done a lot for the planet in the past twenty years."
"You know Dr. Chapel?" Spock asked the driver.
"Well no, not personally, but everyone calls her Christine here."Kirk tried to pay the driver, but the young man refused "Your moneys no good here on Risa, sir. Christine's friends are to be taken care of. Have a great time gentlemen."
And then he got in the car left.
"Well that's an interesting development. Free vacation, nice" Kirk said "Shall we go in and say hello."
"Indeed" Spock said and they picked up their bags and headed for the door. Just as they were about to signal the door, the doors flung open on old-fashioned hinges inward. Standing before them was a short brunette with sparkling green eyes in a very short green dress.
"About damn time!" she exclaimed.
"Yeoman Mears" Spock said.
"You never forget a face, do you Mr.Spock. Actually it's Lieutenant now, but for the next seven days it's Kelly, okay. Just put your bags over there with the rest. Christine hasn't really doled out the rooms. She would have come out herself but Vito's got her trapped. Talk about Déjà vu, back in paradise and he's on her tail again. Come on back, the party already going full swing" the woman seemed say without taking a breath. She then quickly ran in the direction she indicated.
"Shall we?" Kirk said. The other two nodded and then with the practiced ease of along time spent together all three of them put their bags with the rather large collection and proceeded towards the back of the house.
The three men walked in a triangle formation; Kirk in front of course, the doctor and Spock in their usual places. They walked down the hallway past many doors around a clear cylinder column in the middle of the hall. After the cylinder two hallways went left and right and straight ahead sunshine and music poured out towards them. They were ready for anything. What they found was chaos. A gigantic deck was on the back of the house. It was multistoried and at various heights and surrounded a huge multileveled pool. Laughter, music and the sounds of crashing waves filled the sun-soaked skies. Instantly they were bombarded with welcoming greetings.
"Look who made it everybody!" said Mears in a triumphant tone.
"Captain!" called an excited yell and Kevin Riley came rushing towards them.
Kirk eagerly took the hand in greeting from the young man he remembered from long ago "Riley, how are you? What have you been up to?"
Riley's answer was cut off by a high pitched squeal "Leonard!" cried a tall brunette who almost knocked the doctor down in her enthusiasm.
"Why Lieutenant Burrows, one would think you were happy to see me" the doctor drawled at her.
"Hello Mr.Spock" a beautiful Asian woman said, not quite meeting the Vulcan's eyes.
"Miss Tamura, a pleasure" Spock said, noting how close Commander Sulu stood by the woman.
"So vhy are you late, sirs?" Pavel Chekov asked in a light tone.
"I discovered that the technical crew working on the environmental sub-routines had completely missed a section of the code necessary for the program to function properly. I- "Spock was suddenly cut off.
"Okay who had Mr.Spock with the computer's subroutines?" Scotty's Scottish birr suddenly called.
"That would be me, sir" said a polite alien voice as he came forward on his three legs to collect the Latinum Scotty held in his hand.
"Mr. Arex!" Kirk said "I didn't know you were on the Reliant."
"I am not sir. I am the second officer on the Bozeman" Arex said proudly.
"Am I to understand that there was a betting pool as to why we were late?" Spock asked.
"Of course there was" Kyle, the former transporter chief, called "the least you could have done was had it be some thing more interesting."
"Oh what would you have preferred?" Spock asked dryly.
"Well let's see here, shall we?" Sulu started pulling a PADD out of his pocket. "Ny had a tribble invasion; M'Ress had a Klingon attack; Spinelli had Khan coming back, nice one Mike; Scotty had the warp core overloading and – "
"I had Mr.Spock decking Commodore Graves for being totally illogical" said Chris Chapel, coming down the stairs from behind them.
"Indeed Dr. Chapel" Spock said with a raised eyebrow.
"Indeed Mr.Spock." Her eyes were sparkling. "Look everyone I know we all want to catch up but before we get distracted; let's get everyone settled in to their rooms and familiar with the old place. I know that some of you have already taken rooms that you've stayed in before so why do we go ahead and help the new guys get settled. Help yourself to any open room except the one at the very top, that's mine" Chris said in jokingly mad tone.
"You got bunkmates picked out for us, Chrissie?" said Vito DeSalle wrapping an arm around her waist.
Chris's thumb and middle finger went around his wrist and removed the offending arm disdainfully. "No, everyone can have their own room" speaking as if to a child to him. "Now go get 'em!" she said lightly.
The group didn't need to be told twice and were quickly running around in a sea of chaos. Spock stood back, a little overwhelmed it seemed to Chris's trained eye. "Mr.Spock, I recommend you take the room directly across from the top of the stairs. It's the quietest room in the house and my father had separate environmental controls placed in the room. That and Mr. Sonak said the ocean view was 'very facilitating for meditation', or so he said" Chris's voice trailed off a little sadly.
"Mr. Sonak came to your home?" Spock asked, a little surprise creeping into his voice.
"Of course, he was the science officer and I was the CMO. We became friends quickly" Chris said in a lost voice. She shook her head quickly and in an artificially (to Spock's ears anyway) bright tone said "Well go get settled. I expect you back down here promptly. Well I'd better go, there's still a lot to be done on dinner."
"You are cooking?" Spock asked.
"Yea, sorry but there isn't replicator in the house. My mother said they were cheating and that a good hostess knew how to cook and care for her guests" Christine said as she went down the hall.
"Fascinating" Spock said watching her leave.
Spock found the room Dr. Chapel had suggested and was a little surprised to find it very conservative with comfortable furniture, clean lines and very little decoration. He was suddenly struck by the thought that perhaps he should not be surprised by anything related to Dr. Chapel. She was obviously more complex than he had ever thought. The room did indeed have it sown environmental controls complete with an adjustable gravity shelf. The room also had its own bathroom including both water and sonic shower. The most impressive feature of the room though was the view.
The entire back wall of the room was open to a view of the ocean and an upper level of the deck. Spock went to the hinged door in the middle of the wall and noticed the bolt lock upon it. He could unlock the door from the inside but it required a key from the other. He went out to the deck to inspect its location. He was on a middle level. His room appeared to have the only door that directly accessed the deck. There was a set of stairs heading down towards the pool deck as well as a set leading up. There were deck chairs, tables and foliage in bright and stimulating colors all around. The entire wall of his room was transparent from the inside but appeared on the outside as a mirrored shimmer much like the front of the house.
Spock's curiosity led him up the stairs to an upper deck. There he found a large, black rectangular stone. Several pillared candles were placed around the area and a fire pit was directly in front of the stone. It was obviously a meditation area. There was a small table with two chairs under an awning connected to the back of the house. Once again the wall was the same mirrored material. Spock noticed something lying on the table. To his astonishment it was a real parchment book complete with leather binding and thong. It was a very old copy of a book written by one of his human ancestors: The Sign of the Four by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. A wind chime of Vulcan design brought his attention away from the book as it made its soft melodious sound. When he looked at the chime he noticed the door next to it was slightly ajar. The door also appeared to have a key lock. Spock peered through the crack in the door and discovered a bedroom. Spock's innate sense of politeness stopped him from any further "snooping", as his mother would say. He had obviously discovered Dr. Chapel's bedroom.
However he had seen the photograph on the table by the door. It was of Captain Pike, Dr. Boyce and Number One. The fact that Dr. Chapel had a photograph of these people had surprised him. The fact that it was a photograph that he himself had taken shocked him.
Spock returned to his room and unpacked his bag quickly and efficiently. He then headed back down stairs and went in the direction he had seen Dr. Chapel go. The noises and exotic smells assaulted him before he turned the corner into the room.
"Mr. Spock, welcome! Why don't you come scrub in and help with these" Dr. M'Benga said when he saw him, a wide smile gracing the dark man's face.
"We're trying to get as much of this done while Chris is gone as possible" the little redhead that Spock remembered as Nurse Angela "Andy" Ames said cheerfully.
"You do not trust Dr. Chapel's cooking?" Spock asked.
"Oh no, not at all. Chris is a fantastic cook. She'll just work herself to death if we let her" Ames responded.
"I don't know how she ever gets any sleep when she's was on ship. Always making somebody's favorite food to cheer 'em up" said Dr. M'Benga. "I heard Decker had a real kitchen put in the design plans for her."
"Aye, it is true. Vill vas very fond of her Tarvokian powder cake. I think she must have Russian ancestors because her borsch is also very good" said Mr. Chekhov.
"Well she never made my favorite. What good is a woman who doesn't like ribs? Said she couldn't stand the smell of the meat on the grill. That said her Kentucky bourbon BBQ sauce is wicked" said Dr. McCoy.
Dr. M'Benga chortled and said "It's all those years on Vulcan. I almost became vegetarian living there. I can't imagine if I was born there. Chris once said it was easy being a vegetarian. If you've never eaten meat, you don't know what you're missing."
"Dr. Chapel is vegetarian?" Spock asked incredulously. How he could not have noticed that, he thought.
"She told me that her Mom use to get sick at the idea of eating anything with feelings" Dr. M'Benga said.
"Well then, she can eat all the Vulcans she wants, right Spock" said Dr. McCoy.
Spock was about to respond to Dr. McCoy's poor joke when Mr. DeSalle burst into the room.
"Anyone know where Chris is? Scotty disappeared with her almost 30 minutes ago."
Nurse Ames elbowed Dr. M'Benga as he was about to speak and said "Nope, not a clue, Vito."
"Damn, can't seem to get that girl alone!" Mr. DeSalle said and went out the room.
Spock deliberately turned to face Nurse Ames and asked, "So where is Dr. Chapel?"
"She's downstairs helping Scotty find a bottle. You should have seen the huge box of liquors she brought. It must have taken two guys to get it down here."
Spock suddenly thought back to the station and the large box with its fragile sounds. "I believe I have" he said absently. Spock washed his hands and was surprised when a basket of jumbo Vulcan mollusks was put in his hands.
"You know how to prepare these, right?" Dr. M'Benga asked.
"Of course, I did not expect Vulcan delicacies to be served."
"Chris is the perfect host. She's had a becktar tree smoking all day for Arex and she said something about hoping the icoberries where ripe enough for M'Ress's tarts in the morning."
"Icoberries are very hard to procure in this sector" Spock noted.
"Not to mention she said she was going to make Miko very happy in the morning" Ames chimed in.
"Miss Tamura has a particular taste for Klingon cuisine, if I remember correctly" Spock said thoughtfully.
"Oh you do. The thought of what it is scares me silly" Ames said, "You and Chris. I swear, between the two of you, you probably know almost everything about all of us."
"The funny thing is that both y'all play your cards so close to your chest that it's hard as hell to know anything about either one of ya. I knew Christine almost three years before she admitted how many degrees she actually has" Dr. McCoy said.
Spock was about to ask the doctor what he meant when Miss Uhura and Misters Sulu and Kyle entered the room.
"Okay, she's coming up now. Hikaru, help me set the table and Winston keep her distracted. Jan…" Miss Uhura said, turning her head over her shoulder" keep Vito off her ass. I swear he's acting like he's on those damn spores again."
Spock flinched despite himself at that comment. He remembered how Mr. DeSalle had seemed when they found him on Omicron Ceti III. Dr. McCoy had said that Mr. DeSalle had been "quite the ladies man" on the planet. He suddenly found himself quite pleased remembering that Dr. Chapel had not been aboard the Enterprise at the time. He seemed to remember that she had been on an extended leave. He had not thought she would return after Dr. Korby's death. He had been quite perplexed at then Commodore Mendez's insistence that she be returned to the ship's staff and her seemingly open hatred for the man. He was starting to think about that rather strange encounter on Starbase 11 and what it meant with all the other information he had recently learned when Dr. Chapel chose that moment to enter the room.
He found himself unable to not stare at her. The loose jacket that she had been wearing was now tied at her waist. Apparently underneath it she had been wearing an extremely brief top in a white shimmering material. The shirt was cut in a low V in the front and the length of the top only extended past her breasts. Her pants, while full length, sat extremely low on her hips. As a result her abdomen was on full display. He had always known that Dr. Chapel was what Dr. McCoy would have called "pleasantly curvy" but now he saw that she quite fit as well. While not extremely muscular she had definite tone to her body; that and a jewel in her belly button. He found himself wondering if that was why Mr. DeSalle was so anxious to be alone with her. He realized further that he not pleased with the idea of Mr. DeSalle spending any time with her.
This new piece of the puzzle surprised Spock most of all.
"Well I think that's all settled now, Scotty. I know a place in the city where I can pick up that whiskey Mike wanted the Captain to try. I'd swear you were trying to get me drunk checking all those bottles" Chris said as she walked in with the Scotsman in tow. She paused as she entered the room taking in the sight in front of her. "Khali, Andy, what's going on? I said I'd take care of all this. You guys don't have to be stuck in the kitchen. You're guests in this house."
"It's no problem Chris, we're almost done. Once Spock has finished the mollusks, we just add them in. Just like your recipe" Kahli M'Benga said lightly.
Chris turned horrified to the Vulcan "Oh Mr. Spock, they got you too. Let me finish that."
Spock appeared to be lost for a second and then quickly recovered "No Dr. Chapel. I am almost finished and I find it had be quite relaxing to do" Spock said.
"We'll that tears it. If Spock can relax than you can too, Christine" McCoy said in his most fatherly tone.
"I know better than to argue with a Vulcan. I guess I'll just get cracking on something else" Chris said.
"Oh, I think we've got it all in hand" said Sulu moving in front of Christine, blocking her from the counter. He then gave a rather pointed look over her shoulder at Winston Kyle.
"Oh yes, of course, uhmm…"the British man's voice faltered.
"You know, I love this song" Uhura suddenly said brightly "Computer, increase music volume by 25." She then proceeded to sing along. Before long M'Benga, Ames, Sulu, Scott and even McCoy had joined in singing along to the light, bouncy music.
Spock's expression was one of pure puzzlement.
"Sorry, Mr. Spock, that tends to happen whenever you go on shore leave with Ny" Chris said apologetically.
"I am well acquainted with Miss Uhura relationship with music" Spock said "I was more intrigued by computers use of vocal commands. It is not common in a private home."
"My father was one of the original designers of the voice recognition program used on Starfleet vessels. My grandmother was the template for the voice. He just went ahead and put one in the house when it was built."
"My father was also involved in that project."
"I know."
Spock was about to further investigate this rather cryptic comment when Winston Kyle seemed to gain back his tongue.
"My darling Miss Chapel, would you be so kind as to honor a man with a dance."
"Winston, there's still a lot that needs to be done" Chris said trying to get back to the food.
"You haven't seen me in almost two years and you wound me by refusing my affections. I fear my best partner no longer has interest in me" said Kyle, laying on his accent extra thick.
"Dance with the laddie, my wee lass. If I know how to run an entire engine room, I canna surely run this crew" Scotty said commandingly.
With a resigned smile, Christine untied the jacket from her waist and put it down on the back of a chair. She then squared her shoulders, shook her slightly and move gracefully into Kyle's arms. Spock noticed immediately that that she obviously had some experience on the dance floor. Kyle's dancing was functional, but Dr. Chapel's, he thought, "made him look good", as the expression went. He heard a laugh behind him and turned.
"Ah, Chris and a dance floor, a match made in heaven" Jim Kirk was saying "She's always been good." Kirk's eyes looked like they held a forgotten memory.
"Yep, she's pretty as a picture," McCoy said with a smile from beside Spock "Now close your mouth Jim, you're starting to drool."
"Funny" Kirk said icily "You got that meat ready for the grill, Doctor."
"Yep" said McCoy with a shit-eating grin "Hey if you're in here who's manning the grill?"
"M'Ress."
"A woman! That's a man's job. Maybe we should go out and teach them how to be primitive, huh, Spock" McCoy said, further teasing the air.
Spock decided to let the doctor's comment pass, although it could be said he was feeling a very primitive emotion towards his captain at the moment.
"Bones, have you seen her teeth! Believe me, that woman knows meat!"
"Well in that case we should go see the lady. It's ruining my reputation hanging out with all these herbivores" McCoy said, nodding at Spock as they left the room.
The rest of the group continued to move about the kitchen; filling drinks, setting dishes, finishing up the meal and, as Spock noticed, distracting Dr. Chapel. As Spock watched, each of the men in the room took turns dancing with her with varied success. What impressed Spock the most about the situation was how much like his mother she was. She adapted to each man seamlessly. Always a complimentary companion, never over dancing her partner, she moved without error. Jim Kirk was just about to take her into his arms when McCoy yelled "Come and get it!"
Everyone was soon drifting into the dining room. It was a true feast that was spread out before them.
"Captain, Mr. Spock" Chris said gesturing to the two ends of the table.
"While I do believe that Captain Kirk should sit at the head of the table" Spock said moving towards the other end "I believe the other end should be for our most gracious host." He then pulled out the chair and stood behind it waiting for her.
Chris tried very hard to breathe and said "Well your mother truly raised a perfect gentleman, didn't she." He nodded slightly. She moved take the chair and fought for air once again as he moved directly to the chair on her right. 'He was an Ambassador's son, surely he knew the significance' she thought 'Don't be stupid, he's just being nice and Leonard's already on Jim's right.'
"Captain Kirk, will you honor us as host?" Chris said extremely brightly.
"I would be glad to, but that reminds me of something. We are here to have fun and I think that if all of us are going to be together for the next week, we should drop ranks. If I have to go around remembering everyone's new ranks and be called 'Admiral-sorry, I mean Captain" all week, I think I'll go crazy." This brought a chuckle from the group. He continued "So everyone, we're off the clock. Hi, my name is Jim. Now I'll I admit I don't know everyone's first name, but I'll leave that up to Chris to teach me. You do know everyone's first name, right Chris?" The look in his eyes was positively challenging.
Three and a half years under the tutelage of one extremely cool Vulcan had taught her a few things. "Of course I do, Sir" her tone was ice, but eyes positively danced with humor.
"Bah! That's a cop out Christine" McCoy admonished. "Anyways Arex doesn't have a first name and Spock's is unpronounceable, so you don't know everyone's, little miss smarty pants." The Southern doctor was obviously getting drunk.
Chris raised an eyebrow in an expression that Spock recognized as eerily like his own and said with a voice as cool as any Vulcan "Arex is his first name, all members of the Edosian species share the same last name. As for Mr. Spock………"She leaned into his ear, so close he could feel her breath, and said his name in a whisper. Her pronunciation was perfect. Spock drew back and looked at her sharply.
"I'm right, aren't I?" she asked innocently, a devils smile slowly creeping up.
"Yes, Christine, perfect" he said speaking very deliberately. "I was unaware that the human pallet could make that noise."
"Well, you just have to have a talented tongue" she said coyly. Quickly Chris realized what she had said. "Oh Gods, Mr. Spock I am so sorry. I must be drunk."
"There is no offense where none is taken. You do indeed have a talented tongue and I would ask that you just call me Spock, Christine" the dark brown eyes were on fire with laughter.
"Yea and call me Jim, Chris!" Kirk said seemingly oblivious to the moment.
Chris broke the intense gaze with Spock and turned to the Captain and said "Oh I don't think I could. I've never called you that."
"So what are you going to call me, Sir?" Jim responded in an exasperated tone.
"Either that or we can go back to Tomcat" came the teasing words out of her mouth. The moment she said them, it was obvious she regretted them. "Oh Gods, I am drunk!" she said slapping her face into her hands.
Jim Kirk had a stunned stupid expression in his face. He looked at her hard for a universal moment, and then slowly his most killer smile crept upon his face. "Well only if you'll dye your hair pink again" he said with a hearty laugh.
"Pink?" said McCoy said incredulously "You had pink hair?"
Chris head snapped up. "Like your shocked" Chris said, grabbing a section of her hair "I was blond, remember, jeez."
"I think ya might be missin' the point here laddie. Tomcat?" said Scotty in a perplexed.
"Actually Scotty, I've known Tomcat almost as long as I've known you. James "Tomcat" Kirk, no girl was safe" Chris said with humor in her voice.
"Except the beautiful girl with the pink hair" Jim said tipping his whiskey towards her.
"Didn't do much better when she was a blond." Blue eyes locked with hazel.
"Great thing about that girl, she keeps on giving me new colors to try" Kirk said wiggling his eyebrows.
McCoy tried desperately not to spit brandy all over the table. Several whoops and other cat calls went out across the table. Suddenly Spock knew why he had always respected Christine Chapel.
Feedback please! Help, help, help! Starving for input!
---"A life without ship is no life at all" ˜ Aucat
