Gently, Kirk set down the tablet he had been reading from.
"Thank you for your report, Mister Spock. It was… more thorough than I expected."
"I merely wished to follow your instructions, Captain. If you would like a summary, it can be found—."
"In the following message, yes, I saw that." He switched the tablet off, "I don't think I could run this ship without you, Mister Spock."
McCoy, yawning and composing his own required reports at the other table, look up. He was eager for distraction, and entertainment.
Spock accepted this with a nod.
"That is a logical assumption, Captain."
"You don't seem very humble today," nudged McCoy. Kirk's eyes gave a warning, which was lenient and easily ignored.
"No, Doctor, I am being factual. As you are."
He rolled his eyes, while Kirk grinned and scooted forward in his chair.
"I wish there was a more logical way to express my gratitude," he said, sincerely.
Spock lifted one eyebrow:
"As do I, Captain. I often forget that your human confidence is temporary."
They were quiet, while Kirk cornered the suggestion in his mind.
"Is it," he searched for the word, "permanent, for Vulcans?"
"I'd say so," offered McCoy, to a preemptive 'shh!' from the captain.
"You continue demonstrating my theory, Doctor."
"Alright," muttered Kirk, realizing his mistake, "I'll have to think of a different way to thank you."
Hot chocolate, thought McCoy. Spock sensed this but did not respond. Instead, he turned gradually to face the captain, and set one hand on the table.
"That will not be necessary," Spock said.
"Interesting way to say 'you're welcome,'" grinned Kirk.
"Don't worry about it, Spock," McCoy translated the captain's meaning perfectly.
Spock remained quiet for the rest of their evening together, watching the captain sort through message tapes and listening to the doctor skid the stylus absently over the desktop. With his hands thoughtfully restrained and clasped together, he thought of a superior way to express the concept of 'thanks'. He drew samples of inspiration from the others' absent minds.
He may have scratched too deep within the captain's memory; Kirk glanced up sharply, as if awoken by a splash of icy water.
"I don't think I could run this ship without you," he said slowly.
"Thanks," said McCoy, still focused on his work.
"You either, Bones."
Even with our differences
There is a place we're all connected
Each of us can find each other's light