Chapter Seven: The Banquet Chapter Seven: The Banquet

Though he had asked several people, McCoy was unable to find a direct answer to what had happened to Deirdre and Channing. He had asked Officer Sulu once but had only gotten a brief smirk before the man had walked away.

Once he had approached Kirk on the bridge, avoiding eye contact with Spock.

"You can't tell me anything?" the Doctor asked his head heavy from a hangover.

"No," Kirk suggested. "Join in the festivities tonight and don't let it bother you. There should be enough beer, rum and ale to suit even a Klingon's needs. Although, I do say that a Klingon is not in your league yet Sawbones."

McCoy swore and left the bridge frustrated.

Alone in his office, he was about to break open a bottle of scotch but stopped when he noticed Spock in the room.

"What are you staring at you devil eared freak?" the Doctor spat.

Spock looked at him quietly. "I think you should join in the banquet tonight."

McCoy studied the Vulcan. "Why? Do you not have a date?"

Another joke that seemed awkward somehow for unknown reasons.

"If you want to know what happened to the woman and girl you treated just yesterday I suggest you go."

That was all McCoy needed to hear.

"Okay," he mumbled.

"But I must beg you come with me," Spock demanded.

The human did not know what prompted the request but he knew it was for a reason important to the First Officer. For a moment he considered saying no just to irritate the man but chose against it. In truth he would find the Vulcan's calm reserve more strengthening than problematic.

"Yes."

"One more thing," Spock said. "Do not drink anything remotely alcoholic. I demand that you go to tonight's celebration as pure as you can."

The demand was unusual and did not pass the Doctor without earning a surge of suspicion. "Why? You're not going to poison me are you?"

"I assure you Doctor McCoy you will not be poisoned," Spock stated. "In fact I'm doing it so you won't be partially. A part of the festivities is comprised of drinking several varieties of ale, brew etc… in large quantity."

Without another word the Vulcan left and McCoy was left feeling no more assured than he had ever been.

The festivities were indeed loud. It was taking all of McCoy's strength to not pass out from the sound of the celebration. If there was any pleasure to be had it was that Spock was not enjoying it much either. The Doctor was sure of this because the Vulcan never strayed more than 2 feet away from him. He was hovering around like a cloud filled with rain.

"Fun isn't it?" McCoy spat at Spock. "I hope your pointy ears are getting all of this 100 louder."

"I will tell you that it is only half of that," Spock retorted.

"You take me to the nicest places," McCoy said wryly as they passed one of the Enterprise's crew half dressed and being stroked by another crewmember.

"I would not take you here, Doctor, if it wasn't for your own good."

"Where would you take me then?" McCoy asked.

"No where really. I do not believe that you would go anywhere I'd like to be in my company."

The human stopped and looked at the man beside him. "Does that upset you?"

For a moment he had thought he had glimpsed something in the Vulcan's eyes or betrayed in his voice.

"It does not upset me," Spock replied. "It is just a fact."

"Well correct your 'facts'. I'd go with you as long as…"

The First Officer raised a customary eyebrow. "As long as what may I enquire?"

McCoy inhaled deeply. "As long as it wasn't here!"

The Southern man had been fighting the urge to sneak off and more than sample a drink. He'd seen others downing glass after glass repeatedly. He contemplated it several times but given up hope, knowing the Vulcan would undoubtedly find him.

"Do not worry Doctor," Spock suddenly said. "It should be time to toast soon."

"Please don't tell me you're a mind reader?" McCoy replied startled. "I've heard of that mind meld thing but I think I'd kill myself if you could go searching through my thoughts anytime you fancied."

Spock shook his head. "No. I just noticed the look of thirst on your face and the large man about to hit the dinner gong." A long finger pointed to their left.

McCoy saw the large muscled man was inches away from hitting a large metal object, most definitely a gong, and in a mere second the sound pierced the air, McCoy and everyone around flinched. Even Spock, who was offended most by the sound.

"Habilcar," Spock whispered as an amber skinned large man appeared at the top of the stairs. It was the look on the man's face that unnerved McCoy the most. It was not a kind face nor did it contain any comfort.

"I asked the Captain and certain members of the crew of the Enterprise to come and join me in my palace and drink to my success."

Spock threw the Doctor a look urging him to follow. McCoy did.

At the bottom of the stairs, Kirk and the Chief Engineer for the Enterprise, Montgomery Scott, stood. They were talking about something but their words were mumbled and meant for one another. As Spock and McCoy neared, Kirk stopped the conversation to nod. He looked as if he had been expecting them. The small group walked up the stairs in unison, following Habilcar.

"Why are you here?" McCoy asked the Engineer.

"Kirk asked me."

"I don't see why," McCoy added. "You're only the Engineer. You didn't really have much to do with all this did you?"

"No. But I heard about the celebration. The drinking is supposed to be bonnie, from what I hear. Something you could appreciate from what I've heard."

Whatever the man had heard had been right and McCoy craved a drink more than ever.

They were led to a pair of ornate golden doors. Habilcar didn't raise a finger. Two servants appeared and pushed them open with what seemed like moderate difficulty. Once open the place showed itself to be a room made for dining. In the middle was a large table with several plates and dishes placed and waiting. At every setting sat 7 glasses, empty but waiting to be filled.

"Take a seat," Habilcar ordered spreading his arms wide.

The four men walked to the table. McCoy chose a seat far from the head of the table, undoubtedly, for their host. Spock sat down next to him without even a look given to the Doctor.

"Today my wealth has been increased," Habilcar spoke loudly. "I ask those who have aided in that growth to join me in this ceremony usually taken by my people in regards to this blessing.

McCoy glanced at the Vulcan at his right who refused to meet his eyes.

"I am not an expert on your planet," Habilcar stated with a sly smile. "However, I have made an effort to add a twist to an ancient Galzecian custom. The cups before you will be filled with the finest brews your planet could offer. My taste for the exotic you will find is not limited to those of the fairer sex."

When their host had finished, more servants appeared. Each glass before them was filled.

"We eat first and toast later," Habilcar instructed.

Throughout the meal, McCoy felt his eyes wandering to the full cups. Spock, who barely touched his meal looked at the Doctor.

"Smell inviting, Doctor?" the Vulcan asked.

"No," McCoy told him. "If you think I drink for the taste you're wrong, Mr. Spock."

Spock turned away and McCoy added. "I drink for what it does. Surely your logic would understand that."

Spock nodded.

When the meal was finished the servants came and took the plates away.

Habilcar stood.

"Now we drink."

The man raised a glass and his four guests followed suit.

"For the earth and for the sky," Habilcar stated and drank.

It followed this pattern. Drink after drink was downed in honor or life, blood and flesh, riches and pleasures.

"Do you like the taste?" Spock asked as he studied McCoy.

"Yes," the Doctor smiled.

When the drinks were gone and the room was filled with laughter and the fog of being drunk, Spock leaned close to McCoy.

"Now Doctor," he whispered. "Ask Habilcar what happened to Deirdre and Channing."

The human nodded. He was drunk and open to suggestion though he had momentarily forgotten about the mother and daughter he had not very long ago treated.

"How are Deirdre and Channing?" McCoy shouted loudly.

Habilcar smiled and laughed. He looked to Kirk and McCoy noticed the wide grin on the Captain's face.

"He doesn't know," Kirk said. "It wasn't in the Empire's orders to tell him."

Their host looked at McCoy and the human almost believed he sensed Spock grow tense beside him.

"I needed them to be healthy. I sold both to a merchant from another planet… Damn! I never could pronounce it!" Habilcar exclaimed but his joy was not dampened. "From what I heard, when she knew what was happening the whore grabbed the child and tried to escape. This merchant's men shot her. It didn't matter really. It was the child he was after. She was still young enough for him and resembled a human. He was looking for that, something I hated the girl for. She's in his hands now quite literally. This is why we are here tonight! I am a richer man tonight and free of a slut and her unwanted child. I toast to the Empire and those who helped me achieve this."

Never once did Habilcar refer to Channing as his child. McCoy felt he was going to be sick.

When Leonard was on the Enterprise again he rushed first to his room; the taste of wine and alcohol strong and sickening in his mouth. He leaned over the sink and vomited everything he had consumed. Still even that was not enough to drive the taste away.

When he raised his eyes he saw Spock standing in the doorway.

"Did you know?" McCoy asked.

"Not until the mother was dead and the child taken far away," the Vulcan stated.

"And if you had would you have stopped it?"

"I cannot say. It is illogical for me to even guess."

McCoy nodded and lowered his head, closing his eyes tightly shut.

"But I did see a way to stop you from the path you were taken. The path that would have destroyed you," Spock stated. "I knew that if you were there tonight I could find a way to reach you."

"And how is that?" McCoy demanded.

"Tonight you drank in honor of a woman being killed and her daughter sold into prostitution. You helped the Empire though you were ignorant. Remember the way that tasted Doctor and remember how you craved it and enjoyed yourself. You did that in celebration. Now I demand of you in their memory that you will never touch a drink again without remembering their lives. I hope that you will stay relatively sober in penance for that ignorance."

It was reasoning that any other crewmember would have surely laughed at. But the reasoning was not false McCoy knew when applied to himself. Spock had known how to reach him and his logic had not been wrong.

The Doctor rushed towards the other man. Looking into the depths of those dark eyes he searched for some humanity; something to join in his sorrow. All he saw was distance and all he knew was that he could not reach the man in the way he had been reached.

McCoy dropped him. "Leave," he whispered. "Just leave or shut up."

The human went to his bed and in pain and exhaustion he fell onto to it and slept, never knowing which action the Vulcan had chosen.