Chapter 3- Dosey Doe

When I arrived, McCoy was trying his best to put down the rebellion that was brewing in sickbay without cursing Jim, or Starfleet, or his crew that mumbled their displeasure with the edict. The crew was not opposed to rescuing other sentient beings, or sharing space to accommodate them, but they were unhappy that they were Klingons- fierce warriors with whom the Federation had no standing relationship and who apparently viciously opposed anything approaching adequate personal hygiene.

"I know this sucks for everyone," He shouted above the crowd looking at his PADD, "but rest assured that the command is not immune to this- we have to share just like you. We are all in this together, folks, so we might just as well suck it up and be the professionals we know we are and tough it out. This is not the worst thing that has happened."

"Damn close." Came a voice from among the crowd. A few people sniggered.

McCoy's head snapped up and scanned the crowd for the smart ass with a scowl. "We are not asking you to marry them, Perkins, but God knows that may be the closest you may get to ever finding a woman- even if she can kick your ass. But hell, half the nurses can do that anyway." The crowd turned to look and giggle at a tech who immediately turned red. By the look on his face, he was innocent of making the remark but it didn't matter. Once McCoy decided it was him, there was no refuting it. "Listen up!" He barked to regain their attention. "I am only going to read this once, so pay attention to your assignment. Do not come up to me and ask if you can switch with so-and-so, I am not a damn camp counselor. Commander Spock made the list. If you have a problem with his method, I suggest you go take it up with him if any of you actually have the balls to do so. No one will be sleeping down here and that is an order. This is a sickbay, not a hotel."

As he slowly read the list, the number of shocked and horrified faces grew as it became clear that in the interest of fairness and complete randomness, Spock made the lottery ship wide. This meant that the members of medical would have to bunk with engineers, security, and even support staff. Although most members got along, there was still a cliquish culture among the departments. It wasn't out of spite or a sense of superiority; it was just a natural evolution from seeing the same people every day. As a result, there were going to be a lot strangers sleeping together tonight and that made everyone just a little uncomfortable. There were many dismayed grumblings, but for the most part they were resigned to their fate because they knew McCoy wouldn't make any exceptions and no one wanted to face Spock.

We returned to the office and he plopped down in his chair with a relieved sigh. "Where are we?" I asked hesitantly taking my seat.

He scrolled through the file on his PADD and mumbled, "L. McCoy….." He found the entry and gave a sarcastic smile. "At least I get to keep my room. What the hell?! Chekov is with me."

I laughed despite myself. Poor Pavel. If I had trouble sleeping in McCoy's room, I could imagine Chekov on the floor with the blankets pulled up to his chin and his wide eyes staring at the bed the whole time in fear. He chuckled and raised his eyebrows. "You get to keep your room too."

The smirk on his face was too wide for my liking. "Who do I have?" I asked with a great amount of trepidation.

"Jim!" McCoy burst out laughing. "If that doesn't beat all! The green blooded hobgoblin is too strict to even rig the draw enough to let the Captain keep his own room! Some lucky Klingon is going to get nice digs." He kept laughing as he let his PADD fall to the desk with a thud. "Jim! You will have a blast with that. Now you will get just a little taste of the shit I had to put up with for three long years." He kept laughing even as Jim appeared in the doorway as though he had been summoned. "Well, speak of the devil! I hope you have packed your things."

Jim's eyes were dull with disbelief. "Spock must be out of his Vulcan mind if he thinks I am going to give up my room. Sharing, I am fine with, but seriously? I am the Captain of this ship and I get bounced?" He asked with a huff. "He can eat his list because I know the others aren't happy. He put Uhura with Sulu and he got Scotty! That is trouble waiting to happen. The only thing that would have been worse would have been you sharing with him." He said pointing at McCoy.

"Not really." McCoy objected putting his hands behind his head. "Either I would have shot him up with a hypo in the first 5 minutes or I would have passed out of heat stroke because his room feels like the center of the Earth. I would get some peace and quiet one way or another."

Jim gave his lopsided grin to his scheming friend. "Anyway, the others are trying to make deals. Sulu wants to bunk with Chekov, but he is with you."

McCoy muttered, "He can have him."

"Right," Jim agreed, "so if Chekov goes to Sulu's, that leaves a spot in your room open. I am just going to demand to get my room back. Why don't you stay with me?" He asked gleefully.

"Oh no, Jim." McCoy protested. "I had enough time with you. Why should I give up my room? Who else wants to move?"

"That leaves Scotty and Uhura. Of course they want to be together but neither has a room. See where I am going with this, Bones?" Jim's blue eyes twinkled mischievously. "Come on, Bonsey, you'd be doing them both a big favor and it is for a good cause."

"Jesus, Jim! Why does it always have to be me?" McCoy asked rubbing his face in frustration. "Fine. If I say yes, then what about Collins? She is stuck with Spock."

"It's ok." I sighed. "I have a feeling we were both picked last for the kickball team so we should be fine." I liked Spock as an individual, but I had never had him in large doses and certainly not in such close proximity for sustained periods of time. I forced myself to smile and thought of it as an opportunity to maybe get to know him a little better. After all, he probably wouldn't be thrilled with the arrangement either, but we would just have to make the best of it.

"Thanks, Collins." Jim smiled. "You are a team player. Besides, I think the two of you would probably get along best. Now, that just leaves who moves in with who since you both have rooms."

"I can stay with him." I shrugged. "I don't really have anything to pack." McCoy's eyes fell to his desk and I knew he was asking himself how I could be so blasé about staying with Spock when I couldn't manage to do so with him, but I didn't want to explain.

Jim seemed to catch it as well and he quietly said, "Maybe we should all get packing then. We should reach the vessel soon. C'mon, Bones, I'll help you." He offered placing his hand on the doctor's shoulder. The room was heavy with sadness like a wet blanket and I was glad to get out before I suffocated.

It took me all of 10 minutes to pack my things and head up to deck 3 to Spock's room. I paused by McCoy's door, careful not to trip the chime, and listened to the soft shuffling of them packing. Neither was talking, but that didn't surprise me.

Spock greeted me with a small nod when he opened the door and gestured for me to enter with an outstretched arm. The room wasn't as hot as I remembered it last time. As though he were reading my mind, he stated, "I have reduced the ambient temperature of the room to a level I suspect may be suitable for our mutual comfort. I am aware that humans prefer a cooler atmosphere than Vulcans do."

"Thank you, Spock. That was kind of you." I complimented placing my small box of belongings on his desk.

"No need to thank me, Doctor. It was the logical course of action if we are to share the space over the course of the next four days." He droned standing with his hands behind his back. He didn't even seem relaxed in his own room.

"Are you going to dinner?" I asked politely. "We can go down together."

"I do not require food at this time, Doctor. I believe I will remain here and meditate while you go without me." He replied flatly.

"Actually, I was just going to grab something quickly and maybe study some more. Would it disturb you if I did that?" I inquired.

"Not at all. May I have your PADD?" He asked. I dug it out of the box and handed it to him, wondering if he was going to put it in silent mode so it wouldn't beep when I opened or closed files. Instead, he typed something in and then instructed, "Give me a 3 digit number that you will remember."

I thought about the usual suspects: the first numbers of my social security number, the area code of where I lived, the month and day of my birthday. But a light went off in my head. "260." I replied with a smile.

His eyes lingered on me for just a moment before he returned to the PADD with a slight scowl. "This number will now be your access code for all doors on the ship. Because of your impending rank and position, you have a level 5 security clearance- the same as Dr. McCoy."

"Thank you, Spock. It was frustrating not being able to open doors other than my own." I admitted.

He paused a moment before asking, "Doctor, may I inquire as to the significance of the numbers? They seem to have a special meaning to you."

"They do." I smiled. "It was the month and year I came. February '60. That is a date I don't think I will ever forget."

The corners of his mouth twitched as though he had suspected as much. "Enjoy your brief meal, Doctor." He stated quietly.

I made a bowl of soup and a turkey sandwich and had a seat by Scotty as I usually did. McCoy was not there and I suspected it was because he had many more belongings to pack than did I. Even with help, it would take him awhile to get his room ready for the next occupant. "Hey, you!" Uhura called with a smile when she joined us. "I thought you moved on and got bored with us."

"Never." I smiled.

Sulu and Chekov came in together and sat with us. "How is it you have so much crap, Pavel?" Sulu asked with a smile. "I think you have a picture of every object in the known universe. I didn't think we would have enough boxes."

"I like pictures." Pavel defended. "They remind me of things I forget."

"Me too, Pavel." I agreed. "The brain can't store information perfectly the way a picture can."

"So Morgan," Sulu said quietly leaning across the table, "I heard you drew Spock. That must be fun."

"Not true." I disputed putting my spoon down. "I drew Jim, but got traded to Spock when everyone wanted to square dance and switch partners." I gave each a mock scowl at which they smiled nervously. "But that is fine. Spock and I will get along. He is reasonable and it is only for a short time. I think I can manage."

"Aye, but Ah'm bloody glad it wasn't me. Ah wouldn't be able to sleep in his quarters without wonderin' if he was gonna throttle me in me sleep." Scotty muttered so only Uhura and I could hear.

"I don't so much mind all the chaos," Uhura stated, "but I just don't know how I am going to get through these next four days with a ship full of Klingons that smell like a dead fish. I am all for extending a hand and forging good will toward new civilizations, but I don't want to wear a gas mask while I do it."

"Eat up now then." Sulu laughed. "We probably won't have much of an appetite for the next week."

I hurried through my meal and returned to Spock's quarters. I punched in my code and felt a little burst of pride when it slid open. The room was dim and soft music floated down from the ceiling. Spock sat on the floor facing his bed in a lotus position and I tried to take a seat near the bathroom so the light from my PADD wouldn't disturb him. He seemed so peaceful I found myself a bit envious.

My eyes were heavy and strained against the bright light of the screen. I blinked a few times, but it didn't help. I closed them, just for a few minutes I told myself. Just until Spock was finished and I could make a bed on the floor and go to sleep. When I woke up, I was in his bed and he was nowhere to be found. The soft sheets held just a hint of the same scent I detected on his skin when he carried me to the sickbay. Just like then, I found it relaxing and comforting even though my brain shouted I should feel anxious. Instead of fretting, I curled up and drifted back to sleep in the warmth of the blankets, feeling safe and content.