Series: Moments in Time
Characters: Kirk, Spock, bit of McCoy
Rating: K
Warnings/Spoilers: The Devil in the Dark
Summary: Spock should know better than to directly contradict an order in front of the man who gave it. James Kirk should know better than to order his First out of the line of danger with so flimsy an excuse as technical expertise. Fortunately for the Enterprise and their relationship, they are both better tacticians than they displayed in this, their not so finest hour.
A/N: I've always had a fondness for this episode, as it was the first TOS episode I ever watched in its entirety – and it was probably the perfect one to draw me in and immediately cement in my mind just exactly who and what this show was about. So after Beyond re-sparked my interest in this fandom, it was only appropriate that I begin my re-watch as I began so many years ago.

Thank you to all you lovely people who commented on the last chapter; I've had a hellish year, and at one point thought I might never write again, so it's lovely to hear that someone enjoyed reading my little scribbles. I may not get to returning your kind comments but they are very much appreciated, all of them. Much love.

"That was a job well done, gentlemen." The captain steps off the transporter pad with a smile, clapping his Chief Engineer on the shoulder as he moves to the wall control panel. "Mr. Sulu, prepare the ship to break orbit and inform Janus VI we will be departing within the hour."

"Aye, sir."

Scott merely favors them all with a tolerant smile and disappears down the corridor with his bits and bobs of machinery, followed closely by his transporter tech. The young man is eagerly questioning his superior about the jury-rigging technique even as their voices disappear around the corner in the direction of the nearest turbolift.

"Don't make me have to come drag you both down to Sickbay for post-mission checkups, Captain," McCoy warns as he moves to follow their example. "Standard procedure after an away mission," he adds with a sigh, when both men look like they're about to object. "Did you really think your Vulcan wasn't gonna tattle on you, Jim, with a cave-in on the surface?"

The captain turns an accusatory eye toward his First, who merely blinks placidly back at him.

"And it's now an outstanding medical order that you have a neural scan every time you finish a mission involving telepathic contact, Mr. Spock."

"I do not recall any such regulation on the books, Doctor." Spock's voice is icier than the mountain cliffs of Epsilon Six.

McCoy gives him an almost feral grin. "That's because the captain made it one after that business with VanGelder. So take it up with him, but I better see you both in Sickbay before we break orbit or I'm coming up to the Bridge to drag you down. Sirs."

"You're dismissed, Doctor," Kirk says dryly, as he powers down the transporter, which the tech had forgotten to do in his excitement. He makes a mental note to send a memo to Scotty, asking him to address the issue with the new lieutenant, and waves a hand absently as McCoy's boot-heel clears the sliding doors.

"Mr. Spock, remain behind for a moment, please," he then continues, in the same even tone. His fingers fiddle aimlessly with the levers of the transporter control board.

Spock halts in the act of leaving the room, turns around. A slightly puzzled look is the only response he gives for a moment, before he draws nearer to the console.

"Captain?"

Kirk's fingers drum restlessly on the control board. "Mr. Spock, one of the reasons the Enterprise's missions have such a high success rating in the fleet is due to the cohesiveness of its command chain."

Spock's eyes sharpen in immediate understanding, as Kirk knew they would. "You are referring to my…altering your orders regarding the fate of the Horta."

"That is one way of putting it, yes," Kirk snorts, slightly amused. "Altering, countermanding, whatever word you want to put on it – you showed a division in the command chain in front of subordinates."

"I did, sir." Tension was building in his First's posture, he could actually see it starting to petrify that Vulcan façade into impenetrable stone. Nevertheless, he continued, frowning down at the console before him.

"And that is something I will not stand for on this ship. You are already aware of this, Commander."

"Yes, sir."

"You can drop the sirs, Spock, for pity's sake – I'm not going to bust you back to Ensign for calling me out on a bad decision." He sighs, pinches the bridge of his nose with one hand to stave off the approaching headache. "In fact, I need you to do that – you're the only one who will dare to, probably. I need someone who will call me out on decisions that are ill-considered, or rooted in emotion – you are the one I rely on to do that."

"Your issue is with the timing, rather than the execution, of that action," Spock supplies, readily enough.

"Yes, Mr. Spock. I want the command chain of this ship to always be united, at least to outward appearances – it is a show of strength. And if you intend to command humans, Spock, you're going to need to learn that about them."

"Duly noted, Captain."

"Fair enough. We cannot let our personal feelings – yes I know, it's a human thing – our personal inclinations, then, influence our command decisions."

Spock looks slightly indecisive, which causes him to tilt his head in question. "Well, out with it, Commander."

"Permission to speak freely, sir?"

"Did I not just say –"

"I would respectfully submit to you that you should heed your own advice, sir. What is it you humans say – practice what you preach?"

His face heats despite his attempts to stop the display of emotion in front of this much more controlled being. "Specify, Mr. Spock."

Spock's eyebrow rises. "Captain, one of your strengths as a leader is the fact that you are intimately acquainted with your subordinates' particular strengths and weaknesses – in fact, you were so informed even prior to your assuming command of the Enterprise. Therefore, you and I are both aware of your real reason for attempting to remove myself from the line of danger during the search for the Horta; it was not due to any technical expertise on my part."

He clears his throat awkwardly in the silence that follows. "You are, as always, a master tactician, Mr. Spock."

Spock's other eyebrow inclines to join the first.

"I can neither confirm nor deny that hypothesis, Commander. However," and he grins, leaning both elbows on the console across from his First, "I will concede the field to an equally diverting strategist."

"I believe we may call it a stalemate, sir. But it will not happen again."

"Thank you. I would like to be able to promise the same, but I am only human, Mr. Spock."

"It is an unfortunate shortcoming of the species, sir."

The door slides open across the room. "Lord Almighty, how long does it take the two of you to have it out, anyway?" McCoy's irritated voice clearly heralds his re-entrance to the room. "Sickbay. Now."

Kirk sends his First a longsuffering look. "Do you suppose we could lose him at the turbolift?"

"That would at least, as you say, be showing a united front, sir. I am at your command."