Chapter 6 - Troubles Are Merely Guests We Invited

The cargo bay had been neatly organized and the more battered containers draped with reflective cloth. The large interlock opened with a drawn-out hiss.

Admiral Diamond approached the waiting group, his hard soles loud in the open area. For all his insistence with conducting this mission, it was surprising that he was nearly late greeting the delegates.

Yeoman Rand stood with a padd ready to direct visitors to assigned quarters. Spock moved away from her and her many assistants and came beside Kirk.

The first off the Daedalus were a pair in brand new overalls from New Kansas. They were followed by four Andorians, five members of Second Homeland, a colony world that tried to attract the disaffected aboriginals from earth, then the Synthearth delegates, who wore robots around their shoulders. The flow continued.

Kirk recognized the Earthmoon delegate from his class at the academy. Sangelica was even blonder and more perfectly packaged than he remembered. They shook hands and exchanged a few words before Kirk promised they'd find time to catch up at the reception later and she moved on. Kirk was getting all the right signals from her and was not displeased to be doing so.

The groups moved past. Kirk lost count and the cargo bay began to fill.

Sarek emerged with a young Vulcan male trailing respectfully behind. Spock greeted each of them and the young man was introduced as Sunap, a fourth cousin. His hair came to his collar and he dropped his gaze a lot were the only two observations Kirk made about him.

Sarek said to Spock, "Your mother will be quite disappointed when she learns of our diversion to the Enterprise."

"Yes. I expect so." Spock replied, face as neutral as Kirk ever saw it. Kirk swallowed a sigh. Spock was going to go full Vulcan for the next five days.

Kirk indicated that Spock should escort them to their quarters personally and they departed, robes swishing.

The captain of the Daedalus came across long enough to thank them, then hurried off. The interlock clunked closed. Kirk glanced around.

Admiral Diamond was following Sangelica out of the cargo bay, the pair of them chatting amiably.

"I'm pretty sure he's married," Kirk said.

"He is," Yeoman Rand replied without looking up from her padd. "Anything else, sir?"

Kirk was glad she didn't seem more amused by him than usual. "No. Yeoman, thank you."

"Don't take it personally, Captain. Some women have a thing for gray hair."

"That was a dismissal, Yeoman."

She rocked to her toes and said, "Yes, sir," before turning like a dancer and marching away.

The recreation room was full of bright voices. Yeoman Rand and company had arranged a feast and even a few decorations. Kirk stopped in the doorway and took it in. Rand finished giving instructions to a crewmember and turned to him, face prim and professional.

"Nicely done, Yeoman."

"Yes sir."

Kirk continued, "But-"

"I did tone it down, sir. I assume we don't want more duty of this sort."

Kirk closed his mouth. "I think you've been my yeoman too long." He walked away into the crowd.

He found Uhura wearing yet another version of her dress uniform, this one with a draped skirt covered in bold orange and yellow bursts.

"The reception must have started earlier than announced."

The way she smiled, he suspected she'd been here a while too. "It did, Captain. Almost immediately after our passengers settled in."

"That was hours ago."

"I wasn't going to stop them."

Kirk looked around. One of the bulky men in overalls was waving his arms as he talked to a woman wearing a robot. He could just make out their conversation about relying too heavily on machines for weeding when managing multiple crops. He looked around for Sangelica, but didn't see her and decided not to ask Uhura if she had been present earlier. Uhura and Rand spoke often, and about pretty much every topic.

Spock stood speaking to the Second Homeland delegation with his cousin standing silently beside him, appearing only vaguely interested. Sarek was by the wall speaking with one of the earth organizers of the summit.

Sangelica walked in. Kirk fetched the first liquid he found in two glasses and intercepted her a few feet from the door.

She thanked him with a diplomatic smile that showed off her pale blue eyes. "Admiral Diamond gave me tour of the ship this afternoon, Captain."

So much for that excuse to leave the party, Kirk thought.

"And what did you think?" he asked, to keep talking.

"It is a marvel of engineering. I especially liked your self-contained botany areas. That is my specialty. I work in New Selene City on public spaces."

Kirk sipped his drink, wondering which of his officers might be carrying a flask. "We could look at them again if you wish."

"I don't want to take up your valuable time."

"It wouldn't be a problem, really."

"You are terribly too polite." She brushed his arm with her blue nails. "But I won't take up your attention." She moved off to join the Andorians.

Kirk stood, confused. To avoid appearing confused, he took in the varied groups around the room, drinking in how well everyone seemed to be getting along. He noticed that Spock and the Second Homelanders had just about the same stoic expression on their faces. And the same profiles.

Spock excused himself and came Kirk's way. His cousin remained where he was, peering curiously at the buckskin-clad men and women who peered curiously back at him.

Kirk turned to the floating snack tray that motored by and handed Spock a glass of something purple.

"Fortunately, our guests seem to like socializing," Kirk said.

Admiral Diamond slalomed in slow motion through the crowd, speaking with Farragut, he appeared to be on an inspection tour of the room.

"Indeed," Spock said. He tasted his drink and his brows came together unpleasantly.

Kirk held out his hand for it and drank it down. "Want something else?"

"No thank you, Captain."

Kirk glanced around for Scotty. He usually didn't miss a party, but perhaps something was happening in engineering.

Kirk leaned closer to Spock. "So, Science Officer. Absent Mr. Scott, which of my crew is likely to have sequestered alcohol on their person."

Spock glanced at the admiral, then turned away from him toward Kirk. "This is not something you usually enforce, Captain, unless there is a problem."

Kirk dropped his voice. "I don't want to enforce anything. I want a shot of something."

Spock bent his head. "In that case, may I suggest Ensign Chekov."

Kirk glanced around. "Where is he? Usually I can find him by his loud voice and if his voice isn't loud, he probably isn't carrying anything."

Spock didn't turn around. "He is in the far corner with the Mars One colonists."

"Thank you, Mr. Spock."

Spock halted him with a hand on his arm. "I realize you are desperate. But this does set a bad precedent."

Kirk turned back and gave him a sly grin. "Only if I handle it improperly." He smiled. "Trust me, Spock. Worst case, there is the confiscation method."

Spock raised a brow and let go of him. He did look worried.

"Don't worry. I'll be good. I remember what you said. I know I'm outranked, painful as it is to remember every minute of the day."

Spock leaned close again. "I fear you may be rebelling."

"It gets me closer to the enlisted members of my crew to do so."

"Perhaps."

Kirk didn't make it to the corner of the room. He was waylaid too many times by various people.

"I didn't know colonists were such partiers," Kirk said to Uhura.

"I believe this is like shore leave for them, sir."

Kirk looked at her red shot eyes. "Are you carrying, Lieutenant?"

She straightened and her eyes widened.

"I only ask because my drink is a bit flat."

She crooked a smile at him and switched her glass with his.

"Thank you, Lieutenant."

"Any time, Sugar. I mean, Sir."

Kirk tilted his head. "Better slow down."

"Yes, sir."

The party was thinning out. Diamond was absent, although Farragut was still there, picking the remains from the food tray. Kirk spied Spock speaking with his father. They looked good together. Spock had his own kind of quiet dignity, but standing like a mirror beside his father accentuated it. Sunap was sitting at a table speaking with a Second Homelander of roughly the same age, but the opposite sex. She had lost her stiff expression but Sunap had not, although to Kirk, the boy's intent eyes were giving him away. He hoped the girl could spot that.

Kirk didn't want to interrupt anyone, but Spock caught his eye and held it, so he wandered that way.

"Your ship is in exemplary condition, Captain." Sarek said.

"Not my ship at the moment," Kirk said.

"So Spock informed me. It is a temporary situation, if I understand correctly."

"Doesn't feel like it."

"Perception and reality are never fully in line."

Spock turned sharply. "Isn't that the philosopher Statan? You would never allow me to read him."

"You are free to do so now."

Spock said nothing.

Sarek went on, "But you have no desire to. He is that sort of philosopher. He appeals to the underdeveloped mind."

"But you are quoting him," Spock and Kirk said simultaneously.

"I have been choosing readings for Sunap."

They all turned to the young Vulcan and his conversation partner. Kirk wished they hadn't. "I should check on my ship. If you'll excuse me."

When Kirk was out the door, Sarek said, "Even the captain cannot hold a belief contrary to his inner vision for more than a minute."

"As our chief surgeon would poetically put it, the captain is chafing at the bit. Any assistance you can provide with distracting the admiral would be highly welcome," Spock said.

Sarek looked at him, brow raised.

Spock said, "It has gone on long enough that I am growing concerned about the captain retaining his position."

"I see. That is unexpected for what I know of your commander."

"Nevertheless. For a human his self control is exemplary, but it is finite."

"I will do what I can, Spock."

Spock bowed and also departed.

It was worth the diversion, and partly worth Diamond's presence, to see Spock with his father during off-duty hours. Kirk tried to stay out of the way, but Spock didn't make it easy. He drew Kirk into their conversation at every opportunity.

Even Diamond seemed to have picked up the easy camaraderie of the passengers and skipped the next day's review meeting after shift. Kirk saw him, strangely without Farragut or Sangelica, touring the ship, talking to the crew. Kirk was beginning to believe his little speech might have actually sunk in and he started to re-evaluate the man.

Sangelica had settled in with the Synthearthers. Kirk had invited her to lunch on the second day and refused to take no for an answer. He arranged to eat off hours when the mess was quiet.

"Seeing you reminds me how long it's been since the academy," Kirk said.

She laughed a bright lovely laugh. "I was thinking the same thing." She neatly arranged the utensils beside her plate. Kirk noticed she did that whenever she put them down.

"You've done terribly well for yourself, Jim. But everyone knew you would."

Kirk thought back to the endless work of the academy, the feeling of constantly falling short. "I didn't think so."

"You were the one most likely to put off your own desires for an assignment or extra study."

"I really don't remember doing that."

She picked up her fork again. "That's because you were so driven. Anything you did that wasn't in pursuit of your goals seemed like a diversion, even for five minutes a day."

"And you weren't driven?"

She chewed thoughtfully and appeared wistful. It was a gut melting look for her. "I was, but not toward a goal I actually wanted when I got it."

Kirk nodded. "I understand."

"Do you?" She asked this with quiet sincerity.

"Yes, of course. How can you really know what you are going to get until you have it?"

"It helps to hear you of all people say that."

"Why?"

She tipped her head side to side and appeared sad. Kirk put a hand on her arm, and she didn't pull away.

"Because people told me I'd wasted so much of everyone's time when I left the academy and took a job on the moon instead of in Starfleet. I didn't do that on purpose. I didn't intentionally set out to do that."

"I don't think you wasted anyone's time. You undoubtedly use your training often."

"I do. The attitude of many on the moon is that we have a society like on earth, but we don't. We have to maintain our environments and the culture must be more rigorous. It's much more like a starship."

Kirk squeezed her arm. "You didn't waste anyone's time. If you are happy and successful, you did the right thing."

She covered his hand with her other one and her eyes grew wet. "Jim. Thank you." She let go. "I can see how you manage to lead four hundred people into danger without them complaining."

He turned on his best smile. "They complain sometimes."

"I can also see how you've managed other unlikely things." Then she blushed, but it was followed by a flattering smile.

The medical staff in the corner got up at that moment and left, and the officers from organic synthesis came in.

"I should let you get back to duty." She stood, despite eating little. "I promised the admiral I'd show him moon dancing this afternoon. If we can turn the gravity down in the gym that low. He thought it was safe to do so in that area of the ship."

Kirk stood. "It is the one area of the ship we can easily do so. We often use it for low-G training."

She gave him another wistful smile and was gone. He was even more confused. He wanted to believe he'd merely lost in a straightforward one-on-one competition, then he could just move on. But a niggling in the back of his mind wouldn't let him settle on that assumption.