A/N - I don't own Star Trek, in any incarnation. Please let me know what you think.
Admiral Leonard H McCoy shuffled irritably down the squeaky clean corridors of the new USS Enterprise D, cursing his physical age; when he was younger and serving under Jim Kirk, McCoy had been able to move quickly thanks to all those damn weird adventures, but age had caught up with him and he was forced to take his time.
He regularly inspected the medical facilities of many new starships. He had gotten into the habit after seeing for himself the newly refitted original Enterprise's sickbay (he tried to stop the pang of sadness that swept through his body, as he recalled the way the original Enterprise was destroyed orbiting the Genesis Planet during that mess getting Spock's body to Vulcan after the green-blooded ingrate shoved his Katra into McCoy's mind for safekeeping; he wasn't really annoyed since the experience had given him a greater understanding of the Vulcan mind), and he had a particular interest in inspecting the medical facilities of new Enterprises.
He had been particularly vocal since the mess with the energy ribbon which sent the Enterprise B back to space dock, condemning the Fleet for allowing the ship to leave the solar system when it wasn't in any condition to rescue the El Aurians, and he had angrily ranted to various admirals about the stupidity of not outfitting their ships with basic first aid.
Not wanting him to rant anymore, not that he could considering his frailty these days, the admirals had made it a policy to send/allow him to visit new ships.
Leonard was quite impressed with the latest advances he had seen. He knew they were the culmination of a century's worth of advances, put together by the various doctors and scientists who had studied medicine over the past several decades. But while he was aware of the strange entity that had appeared - he hadn't been bothered; in space, they had encountered many weird beings like the Metrons, the Organians, and the Apollo aliens, but the idea of meeting an entity who was as irritating as Trelane.
But right now he had another reason to be irritated. Leonard was leaving, and after he had wished every doctor a genuine and kind-hearted good luck - while many people believed him to be bitter, crusty and irritable, he was a good-hearted and kindhearted man and he genuinely respected many of the kids on the Enterprise D. Beverly Crusher was also someone he liked and he had followed her career, he knew she was perfect for the role of CMO, he was being escorted to his shuttle, escorted by an officer who was questioning his decision.
"Have you got some reason you want my atoms scattered all over space, boy?" Leonard groused.
He had never liked transporter technology for as long as he could remember. There was just something…eerie about being scattered all over space, especially with the philosophical dilemma that when you reassembled again, you were no longer the same person. His view on transporters had not changed over the years, and each time he had allowed himself to be transported he had mentally fought with himself to just accept it.
But after the mess where Jim was separated into his good and evil sides, and when he, Jim, Scotty and Nyota were transported to that nightmarish 'mirror' universe, his views hadn't changed.
But it was when he had heard how two new crew members to the original Enterprise were killed by the transporter after the 18-month refit before that still confusing mess with V'Ger that he had put his foot down, only for Jim to kick him back onto the pad.
At his current age, Leonard was more determined than ever to have whatever atoms he had left still residing in one place.
"No sir," the officer said innocently and genuinely so enough; Leonard realised that he was curious about his reasons. "But at your age, sir, I thought you shouldn't have to put up with the time and trouble of a shuttlecraft."
That did it.
Leonard stopped right in his tracks and the officer was forced to do the same thing. "Hold it right there, boy," he snapped.
"Sir?" The officer, Data (strange name, but Leonard was used to that) asked.
"What about my age?"
Data seemed to have guessed he had made a mistake, even if he didn't understand how. "Sorry, sir. If that subject troubles you-."
"Troubles me?" Leonard chuckled. "What's so damned troubling about not having died?" If he were honest, Leonard was quite pleased with how long he had lasted, and he had seen so much, experienced a little too much, and much of his time was spent with Joanna's grandkids. Now that was a joy. "How old do you think I am?" He asked.
If he was expecting this young puppy to stutter, or make a guess - what or who was he anyway? Leonard McCoy had been in or out or associated with Starfleet for decades, but he had never met anyone like this with their golden skin tone and yellow eyes, but then again he wasn't usually bothered about who served in the Fleet.
In his mind, everyone had the right.
Even Klingons and Romulans; he had been slightly surprised when he had learnt a Klingon was serving on the ship under Picard, but he didn't mind although he was curious about how Jim would have handled it, despite how he had made it up to Azetbur after the Khitomer Conference for their behaviour at that dinner.
"One hundred thirty-seven years, Admiral, according to Starfleet records," Data replied promptly.
Leonard was startled. He had expected a guess, not an exact answer. "Explain how you remember that so exactly," he ordered.
"I remember every fact I am exposed to, sir."
God, this guy….is he like Spock? Leonard suspiciously checked the points of Data's ears. But no, they were round, not pointed. "I don't see any points on your ears, boy, but you sound like a Vulcan."
"No, sir. I'm an android."
An…android?
Ah, that explained it.
Leonard huffed and shuffled off down the corridor. "Almost as bad," he muttered.
Data caught up with him. "I thought it was generally accepted, sir, that Vulcans are an advanced and most honourable race."
Leonard sighed, and he wondered if he had offended the android a little. He hadn't intended to, not a bit. It was just he had never had a good time when it came to androids, but he refused to let his prejudice get in the way. "They are, they are," he patted Data on the arm, unable to stop himself smiling as he thought about Spock and the other Vulcans he had met; while it was legendary, the arguments he had with Spock, everyone knew they had been incredibly close, and while Jim had been beyond upset by Spock's 'death' during that endless fight with Khan, McCoy had lost his friend too, and the whole experience with the katra had been Spock's revenge for those arguments lost, but they were still friends. "And damned annoying at times," he couldn't help but add.
"Yes, sir," Data accepted the reply as a fact, but Leonard sensed his confusion he guessed the android had the capacity to learn a great deal in a short span of time.
Leonard turned his attention to the gleaming corridors and he smiled bittersweetly, remembering the first 5-year mission he had served on the original Enterprise as the ship's doctor. He missed those days, missed the work, and missed the fun. "Well, this is a new ship, but she's got the right name," he said fondly. "Now you remember that you hear."
"I will, sir."
Leonard smiled. "You treat her like a lady, and she'll always bring you home."
As he walked through the corridors, Leonard knew that the Enterprise D would go far. She was under the command of a highly decorated veteran and he knew Picard would honour the legacy of the Enterprise. If he did that, then McCoy would be forever grateful.