By the time they got to the lab, McCoy was decidedly not talking to Spock.
On the journey down they'd had an argument over the wisdom of accepting gifts from relatively unknown alien cultures. Although Spock was sure he'd begun that conversation supporting the trusting nature of Starfleet procedural regulations, he'd found himself somewhat illogically arguing against it by the time they reached the lab.
Either way, by the time they reached the facilities to test the strange phenomena, it had completely dissipated.
With only a curt suggestion that Spock should go over his initial test results, McCoy headed over to the terminal furthest away and began to research any reports of similar strange effects from inhaling powders.
Spock didn't press the doctor, knowing from experience that the bad mood would not last overly long. Instead he began to review McCoy's own examination results as directed.
As expected there was nothing untoward.
Spock frowned slightly as he perused the list of tests and results. While he was admiring of thoroughness, this seemed excess.
"Doctor, why did you consider it necessary to administer two prostate exams?"
McCoy tensed and Spock could see his embarrassed flush from across the room.
"I was being thorough," he snapped back. "You'll note I did three blood pressure tests, but you didn't choose to question that!"
"It is logical to repeat such a test that will present variations in results due to external stimulus such as stress."
"Well maybe I wanted to double check there wasn't a fault in the equipment."
"Then you would have run a diagnostic on the equipment rather than a repeat experiment on your prostate."
"Can we please stop discussing my prostate?" the doctor all but begged.
Spock was about to query whether McCoy had in fact had any particular reason for suspecting that particular gland, when he noticed the haze.
He seized an entrapment pump from a nearby surface and advanced swiftly.
"What the hell!" McCoy backed away suddenly until he was pressed against the counter top. It took him several moments to realise the Vulcan wasn't actually advancing on him.
He watched silently as Spock sucked up a quantity of the mist for analysis. It wasn't until the Vulcan finally had a sufficient amount, that he realised he'd practically cornered the doctor.
"My apologies," he said swiftly. "I did not want to risk the air filters removing the substance before we could collect a sample."
"Uh-huh," McCoy nodded. "I got that." A grin slowly spread across his face. "Perhaps you should get another collecting jar for your green version?"
Spock glanced up from the human and realised a green haze was in fact gathering about him.
He didn't reply verbally but moved to follow the doctor's suggestion. Soon they had two containers holding green or red sparkling mist.
"Right." McCoy clapped his hands together. "Time to get analysing. Who knows how long it'll take the computer to figure out just what this hokey powder is."
Spock had already started by running a tricorder over the red jar to record as much as possible in case the substance disappeared before analysis. He arched an eyebrow in surprise.
The doctor noticed immediately and frowned.
"What is it Spock? What's the tricorder show?"
Spock hesitated before replying and instead ran his tricorder over the green jar to confirm his new hypothesis. This apparently produced the same result.
He coughed in an unusually awkward gesture.
"Well?" McCoy demanded irritably.
"The mist is essentially pheromones Doctor," he announced.
"Pheromones." McCoy repeated numbly. Spock nodded.
"Pheromones treated with what may be likened to a coloured dye. How the powder combined in our bodies to produce this effect is still unknown. However I would speculate that our blood was involved in some manner, given the unique colouration."
"Pheromones treated with a dye? They gave us a goddamn barium meal for our hormones?"
"Although the technical details of your statement are incorrect, the analogy is appropriate."
McCoy glared at the offending jars.
"How long do you suppose this effect will last?" he groused.
"Unclear. Without knowledge of quantities consumed, details of the chemical reactions occurring, or approximate rates of pheromone production it would be illogical to surmise."
"Great," McCoy snapped. "So we're just going to glow are we?"
"Doctor, it must be apparent to you we do not glow all the time," Spock pointed out indelicately. McCoy flushed and pointed an accusatory finger at Spock.
"Don't go getting any funny ideas. It's damn likely to be an anger inducing pheromone like CVA or androstadienone," he declared. A horrified realisation occurred to him. "Dammit, Jim's never going to let us live this down. Hell! The whole crew's going to be having a field day with this!"
"The captain will of course have to be told but there is no necessity for the crew to be informed. It is of no danger or relevance to them."
"And how are we going to explain glowing each time we argue? Which in case you haven't noticed happens a lot!"
Spock looked pointedly at the forming red cloud.
"I was aware," he replied drily before quickly moving the conversation on. "I understood you had passed your biocontrol tests?"
McCoy blinked in surprise at the direction their talk had taken.
"Yeah, I passed them. That doesn't cover controlling pheromone production though. And how the hell do you know whether I passed them?"
"They are in you records, Doctor, to which I have access as First Officer. Given our frequency in working together it seemed logical to study your records so I was better prepared."
"Snooping is what that is," McCoy commented but let it go in favour of considering their current problem.
"I suggest we avoid each other," he decided. "Until we can work out a way to stop this glitter ball effect."
Spock raised an eyebrow.
"Do you feel that is necessary? The effect is not harmful and I should be able to control my own pheromones so it will in fact be halved."
"It may not be harmful but its damned embarrassing Spock. You being able to control it doesn't help me feel any less humiliated. If anything it'll make me feel worse."
"I certainly do not want to distress you Doctor," Spock conceded. "Very well. We shall work on a solution separately and communicate via comm."
"Great. Hopefully it'll wear off itself in a few days anyway."