Disclaimer: I don't own Star Trek.

Chapter Five

Disciplinary Issues

Rose frowned as she went over the reports from the Galileo's crew. Something felt off about them and she didn't know what. No information about the mission itself seemed to be outright missing, but there did seem to be a few gaps somehow.

She sighed and thought back to when she'd spoken to the survivors. Everyone (save Spock with his shields) had been radiating feelings of relief and joy to be alive. She couldn't sense anything off from them but she supposed that they'd been too high on adrenaline for anything else to register at the time.

She was broken out of her thoughts by a rap at the door. She blinked in surprise but called out permission to enter.

She frowned in surprise at the sight of Bones and Yeoman Mears, both of whom had feelings of guilt and shame coming from them.

She straightened her back and jerked her head for them to enter. "Is there a problem, Dr. McCoy, Yeoman Mears?" She kept her voice stern and empty of warmth. "I assume this has something to do with the events on Taurus II."

The two exchanged quick looks and cast their gazes to the ground.

"Yes ma'am," Bones took the lead. "Yeoman Mears and myself wish to report ourselves and Lt. Boma for disrespect of a superior officer and conduct unbecoming as well as not filing complete reports."

Rose stared at them in dismay for a second. "Explain," She snapped coldly. "Now."

Bones took a deep breath before beginning to explain the events on the planet. With each sentence Rose's anger deepened and her lips thinned.

"I see," she said finally after Bones had fallen silent. "Is there anything else you wanted to tell me about the mission or is that it?"

The two exchanged another look. "Just that we're both very ashamed of our actions ma'am," Mears finally replied.

"We're both trained officers," Bones added. "We let our fear take over and got upset at Spock for acting like a Vulcan instead of a human. We all knew better. Mr. Scott was the only one of us who gave Commander Spock the respect he deserved. The rest of us deserve to be put on report."

Rose nodded slowly, turning the confession over in her head as she tried to decide what to do. "Well I'm sure I don't have to tell you how disappointed I am in you both," she finally told them. Mears flinched and Bones looked away sheepishly.

"That being said," she continued. "I'm proud of you both for coming to me and acknowledging your actions. For now, I want you both to fix your reports so that they have the whole story, nothing left out."

They nodded solemnly. "I'll consider what to do about your punishments but I'll take your confessions into account." She fell silent for another moment. "I expect you both to remember that the chain of command exists for a reason," she insisted, looking at both of them seriously. "There are situations where your lives are in danger. The commanding officer has to make snap decisions and taking time to explain their reasoning isn't an option.

In addition, Commander Spock is a Vulcan. Not a human. He does not react to situations the same way humans do and he would be a very different man if he did. Starfleet preaches tolerance. If you can't respect your superiors because they're from a different culture, then you don't belong in the fleet, let alone on board this ship."

The two looked shaken but she refused to ease their distress. "You're both dismissed and confined to quarters until I release you," she finished coldly, looking back down at their PADDs.

They filed out silently, Bones pausing at the threshold. "I really am sorry, Rose," he muttered. She glanced up back up at him, softening slightly at the genuine guilt coming from him.

"I know," she told him before hardening her voice again. "You're my best friend Bones but I have a responsibility to everyone on board this ship to treat everyone equally. You admitted what happened and understand it was wrong. I'm not letting you off completely though. I can't."

He nodded solemnly before leaving, the door sliding shut behind him.

Rose sat back with a groan, pressing her palms to her forehead. "What now?" She mumbled to herself. Her eyes flickered toward the computer as she considered trying to contact Rosalyn but she quickly shook the thought away, reminding herself that she couldn't rely on the Admiral constantly. It was her ship and she needed to deal with this herself instead of turning to others every time she was feeling uncertain.

She jumped up and headed for engineering, intent on getting the full story. Engineering was full as always, redshirts darting around frantically. Rose spotted Keenser dangling from some pipes with a spanner held one hand. She scanned the scene for several minutes before finally spotting Scotty berating a young ensign over something.

"Scotty," she called, picking her way through the clutter.

He gave her a surprised look. "Captain?" He asked, waving away the ensign. He rushed off, looking relieved at his escape.

"Scotty," she said mildly. "Dr. McCoy and Yeoman Mears have just told me some interesting facts about the mission on Taurus."

Scotty froze, a guilty look flashing over his face. "Well, uh. I was."

Rose cut him off sharply. "You should've told me Scotty," she snapped sternly. "You were second in command. You had a responsibility to not only intervene and stop their insubordination, but to tell me straight away when someone undermines the mission leader's decisions."

Scotty shuffled his feet sheepishly. "I know," he admitted. "But tempers were high an'-"

"And nothing," Rose interrupted. "The only reason I'm only giving you a demerit and banning you from Engineering for a week is because you're the only one who didn't disrespect Spock on the mission."

"Banned for a week?" Scotty looked stunned. "But Captain!"

"Don't make it worse," she told him sternly. "I'll be informing Lt. DeSalle that he has command of Engineering for the week while you're recovering and that you're not allowed in without my approval or he'll disciplined. Now go and fix your report. I never want to be in this situation again, understood?"

Scotty nodded, looking devastated as he left. Rose sighed and after tracking down the assistant chief engineer, headed to the crew quarters to see Lt. Boma.

She paused for a moment outside his room, rubbing her eyes and blinking. She hadn't rested since the Galileo had disappeared nearly three days earlier, coffee and mind exercises had kept her from falling asleep on the bridge. That being said, she wanted to get everyone's sides before deciding what to do and she wanted to do it quickly. She rapped on Boma's door sharply, fixing an even expression onto her face.

A tap on the keyboard later and she was entering the room without permission, Boma and his roommate, an Andorian named Shukar.

"Captain!" Boma blurted out as the two scrambled to attention. "What're you doing here?"

She gave him a stony look and he shrank slightly at her obvious unhappiness. "Ensign Shukar," she turned to him first. "I would like to speak to you after the lieutenant. Wait in the hall." He nodded, saluted and left, not looking to his roommate as he left. Rose turned to regard the science officer.

"Tell me the full events of Taurus II," she ordered flatly. Concern crept up her spine as she felt contempt and anger start leaking through his shields.

"Should've known that the damn green-blooded elf would go running straight to you," he spat bitterly. "Even after I saved his worthless butt. Bastard."

"Enough," Rose cut off the stream of bigotry. "Commander Spock didn't say anything to me about your appalling behaviour during the mission. Everyone else on the mission, however, knew it was unacceptable and confessed what happened to me. Except you. The one who, from the reports, was most disrespectful toward the commander.

Do you have any excuse for yourself Lt?"

He glared sullenly at her and she reinforced her faltering shields against his selfish refusal to accept his flaws.

"Two men died and he didn't give a damn!" He yelled. "He was going on about how two men would have to be stay behind but he would choose who stayed logically. It wasn't-"

"Wasn't what?" Rose interrupted. "Wasn't human maybe? I wonder why."

Boma fell silent and stared at her as she stepped toward the door.

"It's very obvious to me that you don't belong on the Enterprise," she told him frostily. "Pack your stuff, you're off my ship as soon as we arrive at Makus."

"What?" Boma protested, scrambling after her. "But Captain! That would ruin my career. Can't I-"

"No," she snapped. "Bigotry won't be tolerated on board my ship. And neither will you. You're confined to quarters until we arrive." The door thudded closed on Boma's face and probably his career too.

"Captain?" Shukar asked hesitantly and she focused on him.

"What's your opinion on Boma, Ensign?"

He shuffled hesitantly for a minute before answering. "He's clever but I've noticed that he definitely prefers human company. We don't really interact."

Rose sighed and nodded. She waved him away after asking him to stay with someone else until Boma was gone. Finally she met quickly with Chief Giotto to let him know who was confined and she was finally, finally free to return to her quarters to rest.

She met Spock just outside.

"Spock," she greeted him tiredly. "I'm glad you're here. We need to talk about the mission."

Spock bowed his head in acknowledgement. "Very well Captain. And I would greatly appreciate your advice on a personal matter also, if possible."

"Of course," she assured him, opening her door and letting him follow her inside. "I'm always happy to help you Spock. I hope you know that."

"Indeed," he murmured.

"Vulcan spiced tea?" She tossed over her shoulder, ordering herself a coffee as he agreed. She wandered back over to him, cups in hand and sat down on her armchair, sighing slightly in relief.

"What is it you wished to discuss with me, Captain?"

Rose sighed, placing her coffee on the table and reaching up to undo her plait. "Why didn't you report the others' insubordination to me, Spock?" She asked him gently.

His expression stayed even but she saw the distress flash through his eyes. "I was," he began slowly. "Uncertain. The actions of both the crewmembers and the natives on Taurus II were most, illogical."

Rose nodded sympathetically, understanding how confused Spock must have been when he was wrong.

"It was illogical for the crew to insist I be the one to say the service for Lt. Gaetano," Spock continued with a troubled look. "I was needed to help Mr. Scott repair the shuttle and Dr. McCoy was capable of doing the services himself. And the odds of the natives being scared away by our phasers were exactly 93.445%.

Then they became upset at my stating that some would be required to stay behind, despite the facts being clear. Mr. Boma in particular was displeased with my actions. I do not understand why. I was attempting to preserve as many crew as possible.

I failed to inform you because logic dictated that if everyone else on the team was displeased with my actions, I was the one at fault. I intended to meditate and attempt to discover the source of my failure before coming to you for discipline."

Rose sighed and reached over to grasp his knee, squeezing it gently. "You were not at fault, Spock," she insisted, meeting his eyes. "I have gone over all the reports and what's left of the recording from the Galileo itself. Your actions were excellent.

The only thing you did wrong was assume that the natives would be scared off instead of enraged. Regardless, you made an excellent decision based on the information that you had. In fact, I intend to give you a commendation for your actions on the planet. I'm very proud to have you as my first."

She thought he might have blushed slightly at the compliment even as he nodded.

"Thank you, Captain," he murmured, glancing away. "It is unnecessary to give me a commendation for doing my duty but I thank you for it. Still, I do not understand why the crew was so distressed by my actions. They were logical."

Rose bit her lip as she considered how to explain the emotional side of the events to Spock in a way he would understand. In the four months since the Enterprise had set out, Rose had somehow found herself acting as 'emotional translator' for the Vulcan. She was happy to help but it was still difficult to do.

Part of wondered why he asked her for help with humans instead of Uhura, especially given the fact that Rose had spent most of her childhood with her Betazed relatives. Mostly she was just relieved that he wasn't getting help from the judgmental woman. Maybe her slight distance from humanity helped her explain things in terms a non-human would understand better.

"Well," she said slowly. "Humans are an emotional species. While we're taught to control ourselves in stressful conditions, that can't stop the physical effects stress have on human physiology. The fear hormones rise and cause various reactions, such as 'fight or flight'. Often humans will choose to 'fight' and lash out a nearby target. Their stress and grief caused them to feel that you were being disrespectful toward the deceased crew.

To humans, like many species, respect for the dead is of the utmost importance. They used your seeming indifference to give themselves an enemy that they could defeat. They understood that defeating the natives was impossible of course. Do you understand?"

Spock nodded slowly. "I believe so," he answered. "Should I have said services for the deceased?"

Rose shook her head immediately. "No," she told him firmly. "I do believe in giving burials if possible, but as commander, you were right to focus on attempting to save the living. Especially given Dr. McCoy's ability to do funeral services himself."

Spock nodded and she smiled when she noticed the unhappiness in his eyes had eased. "Now," she said. "I've decided to transfer Boma off of the ship. His attitude was beyond insubordinate. The others were disrespectful, but he actively hindered and insulted you. He is blatantly bigoted and he endangered the whole away team. I'm going to place a formal reprimand and a note explaining the circumstances in his file. We'll leave him on Makus."

"Are you certain Captain?" Spock asked. "Lt. Boma has excellent scores. This will likely damage his career severely."

"I'm sure," she nodded. "He isn't fit to serve on a starship. His roommate implied he's slightly xenophobic which fits with his attitude during the mission. I want a no tolerance policy for bigotry on my ship. I hear about it, they're off."

"Very well," Spock agreed. He hesitated before continuing. "You recall I desired to speak to you?"

"Of course," she waved him on, pushing down her exhaustion and taking another sip of her coffee. "Tell me."

"If it is an inconvenience to you that I keep asking for your aid in interpreting human interaction-"

She cut him off swiftly, leaning forward. "Spock, what's the definition of a friend?"

He quirked his eyebrows slightly as he replied. "A friend is a person with whom one has a bond of mutual affection, typically one exclusive of sexual or family relations."

"So, would you consider us to be friends?"

He paused for a second before nodding slowly and she bit back a triumphant exclamation.

"I would too," she informed him. "And I was taught that friends help each other whenever they're capable of doing so. If you have something you believe that I can help you with, I am fully willing and pleased to do so."

Spock nodded again. "My thanks Captain."

"Rose," she interjected, earning a quizzical look. "While on duty we must be formal, when off-duty it is standard that friends are informal with each other. Unless this has something to do with the ship's business?"

"I don't believe so," Spock answered after a moment of consideration. "It is regarding Lt. Uhura."

"Ah," Rose nodded, hiding a grimace at the thought of the other woman. "Well I'll do my best to help but I can't say romantic advice is my forte."

"Am I in a romantic relationship with Lt. Uhura?" Spock asked quickly and Rose stared at him in surprise. "I do not desire to be and am unsure how this belief has come to be. Lt. Uhura is not someone I wish to have as a mate, nor do I believe my parents would be satisfied with my choice if I were to bond with her. My mother called her arrogant and extended disapproval toward her attitude toward the survivors whilst returning to Earth."

"I see," Rose sat back in her seat. "Well, I was under the impression that yourself and Lt. Uhura were involved romantically due to the two of you kissing right before we beamed to the Narada. In addition, she has made it known that she considers herself to be your girlfriend, meaning she believes that the two of you are involved monogamously with each other. You frequently spend your free time with her and I received the required documents requesting permission for you two to be engaged in a relationship."

"I see," Spock 'frowned'. "I am uncertain as to what led her to this conclusion. Would my not rejecting her kiss have caused her belief?"

"It's likely," Rose granted. "Did you interact regularly with her outside of classes prior to the kiss?"

Spock nodded. "I held regular office hours for any of my students who wished to ask questions or for tutoring. Lt. Uhura met me for discussions on an average of three times a week for between one and two hours.

After 3.5 months of this, we progressed to meeting at the local café once a month to discuss her thesis on the differences between the Vulcan and Romulan languages."

"I see," Rose sighed. "Did she ask you to meet her at these times? And did she phrase it as 'meeting for coffee?"

Spock nodded, looking confused.

"Was her thesis all you spoke of or did you talk about other things as well?"

Spock nodded again and elaborated. "While we originally contained our discussions to her thesis, we also soon began speaking of other topics, such as our interests and activities."

"Humans often use the phrase 'meeting for coffee' as a way to ask someone they're attracted to on a date," Rose explained, seeing dismay rise in Spock's eyes. "Then when on the date they talk about their hobbies and such. Uhura probably assumed that you were aware of the significance. Then when you accepted her kiss, she confirmed in her mind that you two were engaged in a relationship."

"I see," Spock sighed. "How am I to go about explaining that I do not desire to be in relationship with her?"

"May I ask why not?" Rose probed carefully. "She isn't a bad choice is she?"

"I am certain that Lt. Uhura will be a superb mate to another person at some point," Spock returned calmly. "She is aesthetically pleasing, intelligent and has a good career. That being said," he faltered for a minute before finishing. "I find that she is often judgmental and places great stock in the 'rumour mill'. Nor do I enjoy it when she is disrespectful toward her superiors. In addition, she is my subordinate officer and while not forbidden, I do not appreciate the reports that she apparently uses my position to try and intimidate others."

Rose nodded in acknowledgement. "I understand," she paused to think about what to say next. "I recommend that you don't say anything about what you find distasteful regarding her. Tell her what you like about her if you wish but say that you don't feel your personalities are compatible. Do it in private to avoid to causing a scene.

If you want to say that you didn't know she believed you were dating, do so. But she will probably become angry and embarrassed if you do. And do it soon, the longer you leave it, the worse she will feel."

Spock nodded solemnly. He quickly swallowed the dregs of his tea and rose to his feet. "Thank you for your help in this matter, Capt-, Rose. I will go and speak to Lt. Uhura immediately. Do you wish to be informed of the results?"

"If you want," Rose replied, also rising to her feet. "If not then there's no need. Do you want to play another game of chess when you have finished?"

"I would," he hesitated before continuing, quite bravely given the circumstances. "Greatly enjoy a rematch this evening. I will return at nineteen hundred and thirty hours, if this time is acceptable to you?"

Rose nodded. "It is," she told him simply and watched him stride out. "That is not going to be an amicable break up," she declared to the empty room before turning to head to her computer. A captain's work was never done and Rose wanted Boma off her ship as soon as they arrived at Makus.