"Bones, I'm fine. I don't need to stay overnight!" Kirk said forcefully. McCoy didn't even bother responding, simply sent the captain a glare and moved on to Spock, who had decided to skip the argument and attempt to simply leave. He was in the middle of pulling his boots on when McCoy caught him.

"No, you don't. You're both severely dehydrated and undernourished. You're going to stay here until I say otherwise!" McCoy said, looking between them, trying to appear angry, but failing in the wake of the enormous relief of seeing them both alive. "If Scotty could handle the ship while you were both missing on that damn desert, he can handle it while you're just here in Sickbay!'

Kirk opened his mouth to argue further and then closed it again. McCoy made an excellent point there. He glanced over at Spock, who seemed to be going through the same thought process. "That is…logical, Doctor," Spock finally said, sounding like the words cost him every ounce of his dignity to say. Kirk quickly turned his laughter into a cough as McCoy left with a very self-satisfied expression.

They were the only two occupants in Sickbay that night, and in spite of himself, Kirk was starting to find the quiet atmosphere restful. He glanced over at Spock, who appeared deep in thought, his brows furrowed. "Something bothering you?"

"Not bothering," Spock clarified. "I have been thinking about who could have been responsible for the phenomenon we experienced."

"Some long-dead race, maybe? Those tunnels seemed like they were cut by some kind of physical beings," Kirk suggested. It definitely seemed like their preliminary information that the planet had always been uninhabited was wrong.

"Perhaps," Spock answered. "But there were few remains of the race, other than the computers and the iron walls of the caves."

They fell silent for a few minutes before Spock sat up. "Why would a race that built uniform walls and ceilings of metal build computers that appeared built into the rock itself? It is not logical."

"Spock, every race does things that don't make sense," Kirk said. "I am surprised we didn't find more evidence of them though; even if they'd died out you'd think they'd leave more than just some empty rooms behind."

Spock surveyed Kirk quizzically, "That may be the key to the mystery."

"What do you mean?"

"What if," Spock asked slowly, interest lighting up his eyes, "the long-dead race that lived on the planet was not behind our experience on the planet? What if it was the planet itself?

"The…planet tried to kill us?" Kirk asked. That was certainly different. They'd run into many advanced beings, but a sentient planet was a new one.

"If the computers developed by the civilization that lived on the planet were as advanced as they clearly are-"

"-they may have developed sentience," Kirk finished, nodding. That was something they all had too much experience with.

Spock raised an eyebrow, also remembering the numerous occasions the captain had talked sentient computers to death. "Yes. Now, if the planet somehow merged with the computers-"

"-it would make the computers look like rocks instead of like the rest of the underground cavern," Kirk finished. "They gradually melded with the planet until they became part of the planet." He had never had a chance at the Academy or in his earlier postings to keep up with science as much as he would have liked. One of the best things about Spock's double duty was that it gave Kirk a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to discuss the latest discoveries with one of the best scientific minds in the Federation. This had the potential to be one of the more interesting discoveries to come out of their five-year mission.

"After many years combined with the computers, it is possible that the planet itself became sentient, using the remains of the long-dead inhabitants as fuel, and trapping any visitors through the use of the energy field we encountered," Spock explained.

"A carnivorous planet?" Kirk asked in disbelief.

"Very much like the Venus flytrap of Earth," Spock added. "Fascinating."

"Well, I could have done without the fascination," Kirk said. "I'll make a note in the log that this planet is to be avoided."

"I must agree with you," Spock said. "Further study of the planet would undoubtedly be too dangerous for any research team."

"Thank you, by the way, for keeping me going while we were…down there," Kirk said. "I know I was a bit of a mess. I don't think I would have made it without you there to push me along."

"Thanks are unnecessary,' Spock said. "However, I believe the correct response is 'you're welcome.'"

Kirk smiled, "Yes it is."

"You know, I kept you in here so you could rest, not keep the medical staff up all night jabbering!' McCoy came in, scowling. Kirk sent Spock a sheepish look that he could have sworn the Vulcan returned.

"All right, Bones, we'll be quiet. Happy?" Kirk said.

McCoy's expression softened, "No, it's fine. It's good to have you guys back. Yes, even you," he added to Spock. He shook his head, then asked, "As long as you're up, want to play some cards? We could teach Spock here the finer points of poker."

"Sure, Bones," Kirk said. Spock raised an eyebrow but soon they were cheerfully involved in the game, where Spock proved himself to be a master player, winning every round they played.

"You should have known, Bones," Kirk said. "The perfect poker face and an expert in probability." He grinned at Spock as McCoy groaned, throwing his cards on the table.

"I am never playing poker against you again," McCoy said to Spock.

The eyebrow flew up again, "A wise decision. The logical points of the game are clearly a bad combination with your more illogical thought processes."

Here we go again, Kirk thought, watching Spock and McCoy start yet another argument for the ages. Compared with the last three days, this was a welcome return to normal. As normal as the Enterprise ever got, anyway.


A/N That's it! Thank you everyone again, for following and reading and reviewing! I'm glad you all enjoyed it and it made my week to hear everyone's feedback :)