Peter shifted self-consciously as the Medic examined him. Frostbite, some cuts and bruises, a nasty gash on his scalp, not to mention his stab wound had reopened. He was definitely a fine specimen of Human frailty. Didn't help that this particular medic was also female.
"What is Soral's condition?" Peter asked in Vulcan.
The Medic blinked at him then continued the diagnostic scan.
"I wish to see him," Peter said a little more sharply than he had intended.
"Soral is in a Healing Trance and should not be disturbed."
Peter fought to control his temper. Now was most definitely not the time or the place to be making a Human-style scene.
"I wish to be informed the moment he is awake."
The Medic left the room momentarily.
New List: 100 things you need to know about Vulcan ships
#1 Sick Bay: Medics have no bedside manner. At all.
The Medic returned, "You are free to go. You will be escorted to quarters where you are advised to rest… I shall personally inform you when Soral is ready to see you."
"That is agreeable," Peter said flatly as he dressed himself in the clean clothes they had brought him. He tried not to blush as he realized the Medic was still watching him closely.
"Where did you learn Vulcan?"
That came out of nowhere.
"Soral taught me."
"You speak… very well," she finally said. Then left the room once more.
"They've been picked up by a Vulcan ship, the D'Vahl."
The entire Bridge Crew seemed to let out a breath at once.
"Peter's no worse for wear," the Admiral continued, "However Soral's condition is still uncertain. I can send you the full medical report."
Kirk glanced at McCoy who gave him a firm nod.
"That would be appreciated, Admiral. Thank you. When can the D'Vahl return them to Earth?"
"The D'Vahl has informed us that they will remain in orbit over the planet to scan some ancient structure that Peter and Soral managed to discover. It apparently has never shown on our sensors before, thanks to the gravimetric interference below. I don't really know what is so important about the thing, but they are a Science Vessel, and if the Vulcans are interested who am I to tell them otherwise?"
"I see… how long will The D'Vahl remain in orbit?"
"According to them, upwards of a week."
"The Enterprise can be there in 3 days time. We should be able to pick up both Peter and Soral (if he is able) and return them to Earth."
"That is agreeable. Since the Enterprise is already well on her way…. Speaking of which, we've sent a Science Vessel to gather the ore that is now floating around the Omi-Theton sector."
"Lucky thing the ore was accidentally lost in that particular section space," Kirk interrupted, "There is nothing out there to disturb it. Should be relatively easy to pick up, if you have the right equipment. Meanwhile, we are still investigating the malfunction that lead to the accidental injection."
"Uh-huh," the Admiral grumbled, "Lucky alright. We've already got three Starships in for a rehaul…"
Kirk tuned out the usual upper-ranking "we-are-too-lazy/busy-for-this-kind-of-thing" spill from the Admiral and spared a quick glance at McCoy. Bones was leaning over the communications console as Uhura retrieved the Medical report. He scanned it, then shot Kirk a thumbs-up. Spock silently stood behind him calculating the time they would arrive, and the possible medical accommodations they might need to make for Soral.
"Thank you, Ambassador," Kirk finally said, "We appreciate you keeping us informed. Please alert the D'Vahl that we shall be rendezvousing with them in…"
"3 days, 7 hours, 23 minutes present speed," Spock supplied without missing a beat.
The Transmission ended and everyone looked at each other.
"Poor Peter," Bones finally whispered.
"What?" Kirk whipped around, "What's wrong with him?"
"He's on an all-Vulcan ship. That's what's wrong with him!"
"The Medical Staff on Vulcan ships are superior to that of any other," Spock replied, "You need not concern yourself, Doctor."
"For Soral's sake, I'm glad. But I'm more concerned about the Crew handling your nephew, Jim! He's learned just enough from you two to get himself into trouble, and now he's on an all-Vulcan ship!"
Vulcan ships were insanely boring.
Peter had been escorted to quarters which made his Dorm look like a palace. Minimalist didn't even begin to describe the décor. Not that such things really mattered to him, but after laying on the bed for 3 hours waiting to hear word about Soral, the blank wall was starting to seriously get to him.
He sat up and wiped a bead of sweat from his brow. Since he'd nearly frozen to death on the planet below, it seemed wrong to gripe about the heat… but it was a blasted oven in the room! He at last got fed up with sizzling like bacon. He contemplated the environmental controls for a good five minutes before at last managing to turn the temperature down. The blast of cool air was a welcome relief.
Peter accessed the main computer and navigated his way through the ship's files before finally lighting on a standard rooming map. One problem with Vulcan maps, they don't put convenient "you are here" arrows. They must just assume you are smart enough to know where you are. That was… rather humbling.
A moment later he heard the panel next to him chime.
"Medical Bay to Mr. Kirk."
"Kirk here."
"Soral is awake, and has requested to see you at the earliest convenience."
"I am on my way. Kirk out."
Great. Now where was he supposed to go? Naturally, his pride had prevented him from saying "send someone to get me." After another 3 minutes of concentration, he thought he might be able to find it. As long as there was only one turbo-lift.
10.8 minutes had past since Peter had been contacted. Soral knew he had likely become disoriented while navigating the complex corridors of a Vulcan ship. He had briefly considered informing the Medics that someone needed to locate Mr. Kirk, but decided against it. Another very distinct Human characteristic that Peter exhibited was pride. Soral had learned to try and avoid triggering it if at all possible.
Moments later the doors opened and Peter stepped in hesitantly.
"Ah!" he grinned as he lighted on Soral, "Right room. Finally."
"I gather you had difficulty finding your way?"
"Well... yeah… sort of. Apparently this ship has 3 Turbo-lifts and I accidentally ended up taking the wrong one all the way up to the Bridge. Did you know the Captain of this ship is a woman? Scary one too! Shoulda seen the look she gave me."
"You did not actually enter onto the Bridge?"
"No, goodness I'm not THAT dumb! Once the turbo-lift doors opened and I realized where I was I just said "Crap, Sorry!" (cuz I couldn't think of anything Vulcan to say) then went back down. End of story."
"And you have suffered no permanent damage?" Soral asked.
"No… I'm good. I'm a Kirk, having scars is part of the territory… what about you?"
"My leg should be fully healed by tomorrow."
"Can you walk on it yet?"
"Limited exercise is advised, yes."
"Good! Maybe we can convince them to let you wander with me a bit. I can't tell you how BORING it is on this ship. So far the only excitement I've had is seeing the Bridge, and talking with a nice looking Vulcan in the Turbo-lift… who essentially ignored me."
"I was informed that we shall be here for 3 days time."
"Yeah that's the bad news. The good news is we are getting picked up by the Enterprise."
"That should prove most interesting."
"I know, I can't wait! But I don't intend to just sit in my quarters like a good-little-Human. We have a report to give on Vulcan/Human interactions remember? And here we are on a Vulcan ship. I say let's utilize this opportunity to do some empirical research."
The first 12 hours that the Human was on board were chaotic, to put it mildly. Mr. Kirk wandered about the ship, completely lost, but willing to engage in conversation with anyone who happened his way. Surprisingly, his command of the Vulcan language was almost flawless.
T'Enya had discovered him meandering aimlessly on E-Deck twice. On each occasion he was quick to speak with her.
"Greetings. I am doing research on Human/Vulcan interactions. I wonder if I might ask you some questions… First, Do you find Human males to be aesthetically pleasing?"
The hectic nature of the visitor was somewhat diluted by Soral. Once he had been dismissed from Medical, he limped after Mr. Kirk to essentially "clean up" whatever Human/Vulcan taboo he had violated, or to prevent him from overstepping his boundaries.
T'Enya had been witness to a particularly alarming moment when the Human had somehow managed to end up in Engineering. Soral was a few paces behind him, pausing to explain to the entire Engineering Crew that the Human was curious by nature and would simply examine the consoles, but not adjust anything. 2.5 seconds later when the Human had managed to deactivate one of the ventral plasma conduits (by bumping into the station behind him) it was Soral who responded the fastest and had reactivated everything before any alarm alerted the Bridge.
The real commotion came whenever Soral was resting. It was at these times that the Human would take off "exploring" as he worded it. This generally meant that he would often "unintentionally" find himself in restricted areas. The frequency with which this occurred lead some to the conclusion that his allegedly random appearances had not been accidental.
When T'Enya rounded the bend to her quarters and discovered him loitering there for a third time that day; she began to suspect that he was not as directionally challenged as he claimed.
By the end of the first day, Peter Kirk had thoroughly shattered some stereotypes about Humans, and conclusively verified others.
"The Captain has requested your appearance on the Bridge in 5 minutes."
Peter was glad he was speaking with T'Enya through the communicator, since it allowed him to grin unabashedly. He managed to stifle his enthusiasm enough to say, "Acknowledged. Kirk out."
He spun around to face Soral, "What do you think that's all about?"
"The Captain spoke with me 2.4 hours ago. They are having difficulty scanning the region where we were rescued, due to a snowstorm that has set in and the gravimetric interference. She speculated that perhaps you would be able to pin-point the exact coordinates of the structure we encountered, since we have some level of experience in that region."
"No promises there, but I think I could figure out the right mountain range. You coming with me?"
"I informed the Captain that you were aptly qualified to handle the task alone."
"Yeah but… you're gonna be there right? I mean… trust me the crew doesn't exactly like it when you're not around."
"The Captain requested your presence. Had mine been deemed necessary she would have mentioned it."
"Uh… okay… alright, tell me when I should leave. I gotta be there in 5 minutes and I really don't want to be late."
"Remember to take your first left then continue 100 feet to the Turbo-Lift on your right."
"Got it."
"You should depart precisely… now."
Peter flew out the door and sped down the hallway. Soral was gratified that he had remembered to factor in the unnecessary speed of a rather excited Human.
The Human had stepped onto the Bridge with a barely concealed smile on his face. The entire Bridge crew turned to inspect the outlandish being that the Captain had illogically deemed needed for their scientific analysis.
"Mr. Kirk," the Captain greeted, "You may work from Station 4"
Peter shifted. Which one was station 4? It wasn't like there were numbers on the thing, and the Bridge layout was slightly different than Starfleet Standard.
"May I inquire which one is #4?" He finally asked in as proper Vulcan as he could manage.
The Captain tilted her head slightly then nodded towards the correct station. There were two Vulcans there already. Peter approached. The two instantly shifted away, putting at least 3 feet between him.
"I did shower," he whispered just low enough so only they would hear it. The looks they leveled at him were so worth that little breach in Vulcan/Human etiquette.
Peter was grateful that all Science Stations followed a pretty standard lay-out. It took him only a few minutes to read the symbols before he figured out what he needed for his task.
The Captain acknowledged that the Human deftly handled his scanning console, and was able to pinpoint the location with impressive accuracy. She had also been impressed at his willingness to ask for clarification. She had always assumed Human's were too emotionally conceited to accept help.
Peter continued to scan and gather data. This was more Soral's area of expertise, and once again he wished that his roommate was with him. He interpreted the readings as best he could. He hadn't known the Vulcan word for "Granite" so he'd had to switch back to Earth Standard twice. Still, he felt pleased with himself for being able to give a scientific summary *almost* all in Vulcan.
The Captain dismissed him shortly after, and he was never more grateful to return to the cool environment of his room.
"Soral, what's the Vulcan word for Granite?"
"He handled his console with skill. His summary of the findings was clear and concise. His behavior towards the crew has been… Human… but not overly problematic."
"Thank you Captain," Sarek said, "Please keep me informed."
The Captain closed the transmission and paused for a moment. Having a Human on board had been as challenging as she had predicted. However, she had not anticipated the interest that the Ambassador of Vulcan would show in the incident. The communiqué she had received from him earlier had offered the suggestion that she observe the Human perform some small duty onboard the ship. Despite her crews quizzical reaction, she was gratified at the results.
Peter Kirk was proving to be more fascinating than the discoveries they had made on the planet below.
Peter finished reading over the 500th draft of their speech, "You know… I have to admit, it was pretty convenient that we got picked up by an All-Vulcan ship. I've learned more in the past 3 days of being the only Human around, than I had from all those weeks of study."
"What specifically have you learned?" Soral asked curiously.
"Well for one thing, you're right about what you said way back... Some of your people can be absolute jerks. Like that guy in the Turbo-lift this morning. Sheesh! I about wanted to quote Surak at him! But… most are willing to at least tolerate a Human on board. And that Captain *almost* acts like she enjoys having me around. T'Enya is starting to get used to me. She actually answered some of my questions yesterday. So I guess I've learned that it just all boils down to how we treat each other individually. If I figure out how to word that better I'll work that into this speech somehow."
"I read over your conclusion…"
"What did you think?"
"It is… unexpected. I would advise that you give it time…"
"I actually have. I didn't come up with the idea yesterday or anything. It has been floating around in my brain a while. These past two days have simply… helped me come to a conclusive decision on it."
"I support your idea; however you will need the sponsorship of others."
"I know, but I didn't want to do anything until I'd had your honest opinion, first."
"Vulcan should be honored that you have shown such interest."
"Thanks," Peter looked away shyly, "Okay now another question… I noticed on the schematics of this ship that there is an actual, Honest-to-Surak, Holodeck."
"It is used for scientific study, not for leisure."
"I know, I figured that. But it's a Holodeck! That's like… Awesome technology! I've heard of them, but never gotten to see one before. I'd like to test it out. You know… for scientific study."
Soral walked in front of Peter, leading the way to the Holodeck. Despite Peter's insistence that it was unnecessary, Soral had asked permission from the Captain before agreeing to his "scientific study." She had granted it quite readily. Perhaps she realized the futility of denying it, or perhaps she had reasoned that it would at least keep Peter occupied and out of the way for several hours.
Soral approached the computer terminal, "There are only a few settings programmed in. Most are related to scientific research of gaseous anomalies."
"Any ones with snow?"
Soral was puzzled. Peter seemed to have read his expression, because he laughed and added, "Not as cold as before, but I'd like to have you experience snow that isn't out to kill you."
Soral adjusted the programming until he had created something suitable. "This is not comprehensive," he at last said, "However, it should suit your purpose."
The two entered to Holodeck and were met with a light snowfall. No background had been programmed, so everything appeared white and grey. Peter grinned in delight, "Perfect!"
Soral was about to point out the obvious flaws in the design when something cold smacked into the back of his head.
"Snowball fight!" Peter cried, "Remember?"
Soral stared at him in surprise. Peter ignored the look and continued to gather snow into compact balls, "They don't gotta be perfectly round or anything. Just as long as you can throw em. You did good with this snow, by the way. Not too powdery. Not too wet. Perfect."
Soral moved out of the way as Peter hurled another snowball in his direction, "I do not see how this falls into any realm of scientific research."
"Call it a refresher course in Physics. Look, I'm gonna keep throwing snowballs until you start throwing em back!" he shouted.
Soral reluctantly bent down and began forming a 4.6" diameter sphere of snow.
T'Enya made her way to the Holodeck. The Enterprise had arrived a surprising 1.46 hours early. In just 15.5 minutes both Soral and Mr. Kirk would be beaming over. She found herself thinking about how vacant the ship would seem once the Human had left. The past 3 days had most certainly been unique. Despite the unpredictability and over-emotional nature of Mr. Kirk, she had found his insights on Vulcan/Human interactions to be quite accurate. She had already resolved to listen to his speech when it was broadcast.
She entered the Holodeck only to be met with a wall of chilled air and crystallized water. A fraction of a second later she felt the too-familiar sensation of snow impacting with her face.
"Woah! I am so sorry!" Peter blurted out, "Man! What are the odds I'd hit you twice? I honestly didn't see you there."
T'Enya wiped the snow from her face yet again and fixed a hard stare at Mr. Kirk. He seemed oddly pleased by it. Perhaps there were some aspects of Human nature that could not be comprehended.
A/N *cough* give me love. Please? I need it :)