...Wow...I've never been away from this site for so long before. Sorry about that! Truly I am, just a lot of crap being thrown my way lately. I tried writing this earlier but everything came out so emo and sad. This story was never supposed to be sad! I am always aiming for humorous and silly and mushy!...bordering crack! Anyway, I finally have enough time, and mental stability to get back to writing thus here you are! The next chapter in my story! Warnings... um mentions some very mild past tense violence and mild language... totally un-beta...I think that's it.
We Take Care of Our Own
"I should have put my boot through his skull and splattered his green blood all over the Enterprise paneling!" Uhura screamed as she ranted on to poor Scotty who was just trying to fix the consul Chekov ran a Katana through a few days before.
"Ai and bloodied up my Silver Lady?! I would nae allow it missy! Ye should have tossed the bloody monster into space! One good kick out de airlock was all ya would need! Hand me that socket wrench would ye?" Scotty argued back.
Uhura gave him a look as she handed over the wrench, part shocked by the Scotsman's violent streak and part disappointed that he wouldn't let her stick her boot through that monsters temple!
After everyone had regained consciousness, except Commander Spock, Scotty had discretely gotten the transporter up and working again and had been beaming the Enterprise crew down to New Vulcan inside of Sybok's prison cell. Most of the crew had simply taken a swing at the restrained Vulcan, spit in his face, and then quickly beamed back aboard.
Other's had been a little more creative then that.
Since she hadn't been allowed to kill him, Uhura had beamed down first and not only punched Sybok (several times) but had scratched his face with her neatly filed nails. As a communications officer she had been very creative with the insults and curses. Scotty was sure that if Sybok wasn't killed by the Enterprise crew, the several hex's Uhura had thrown at him would do the job eventually.
Scotty had been a little less violent but had cussed the man out so thoroughly that even old earth sailors would blush at his foul language. He did manage to get a few good swings in too.
Surprisingly, or maybe unsurprisingly, Chekov and Sulu beamed down together. When the two youngest members of the command team arrived at the transporter room Scotty had instinctively jumped in front of the control consul using his body to shield his precious ship as Chekov walked in carrying the Katana and Sulu held a small fluffy looking, purple plant.
"Ye keep that thing away from my ship boy-o!" Scotty practically yelled as he held his ground guarding his precious consul with a hysterical look in his eye. Sulu could only laugh as innocent little Chekov looked at the Chief Engineer completely confused.
"Don't worry Mr. Scott we were only going to go say hi to our Vulcan friend!" Lieutenant Sulu said in a way that Scotty knew he meat no such thing.
"Aye, and what be the plant for?" Scotty asked obviously unconvinced.
"Ze plant is a prezent for de prizoner sir!" Chekov explained sounding positively maniacal.
Afraid to ask, Scotty allowed them to beam down without prying any further.
Almost an hour later the duo finally asked permission to be beamed back aboard. The Katana was now strapped to Sulu's back and the plant was nowhere to be seen. The boys smiled and walked out of the transporter room without another word.
Scotty was about to run after them and ask what happened when one of the newer Ensigns ran in the door looking around frantically.
"Can I help ye miss?" Scotty asked as she continued to scan the room.
"Oh, Commander Scott!" she quickly saluted, "Sir have you seen a fuzzy little plant? Only about six inches tall, purple?"
"Uh... possibly... it important?" Scotty asked, knowing exactly where that plant went.
"Not really sir but it is highly dangerous, we found it on Castiel 7b. If you touch the 'fuzzy' part of the flower, it opens up revealing several hundred sharp spines. If the plant is continuously agitated the spines will shoot out one at a time and sting the attacker releasing a burning poison when they make contact with the skin. It really is a fascinating specimen, I was hoping to study it further." The ensign explained.
Scotty was shocked into silence for a moment, he quickly realized that those boys had the potential to be more dangerous than Uhura ever was. "Um...I hate te break it to ye lassie but Lieutenant Sulu took dat plant down to Sybok's cell almost an hour ago an he nae came back with it."
A look of understanding crossed the young girls face and her apparent shock quickly disappeared into a knowing and devilishly happy smirk, "Well I'm glad it was put to good use then sir." The ensign sauntered out of the transporter room with her head held high and a wicked smile in her eyes.
Scotty shook his head and looked back down at his consul, 'kids these days' he thought to himself.
The Enterprise had been dishing out there own version of corporal punishment for about thirty-six hours when they received a message from the planet below.
"This be acting Captain, Commander Scott of the USS Enterprise, how may I be of assistance sir?" Scotty asked as the face of an elderly Vulcan appeared on the view screen.
"Commander Scott, I wish to speak with the Captain of this ship."
"I can nae do that sir, the Captain has not been cleared for duty yet since his spouse was viciously attacked by that monster Sybok!" Scotty all but yelled at the screen letting his temper get the better of him.
The Vulcan raised a brow at the human's tone but did not argue, "Of this we are all well aware Commander Scott. I wished to speak with the Captain to ascertain whether he had the knowledge that the Enterprise crew has been beaming down to the prisoner, Sybok's, cell and attempting to injure the prisoner before beaming back aboard?" The Vulcan questioned.
"Uh... the Captain is unaware of this cause it be my decision to allow it." Scotty said realizing he'd been caught.
The Vulcan gave another eyebrow, "Very well. We simply required affirmation that the crew had been allowed to do so, you may continue as you were." The Vulcan was about to sign off when Scotty cut in.
"Wait! Are ye sayin' we have permission to continue beating' Sybok?"
"Correct Commander. Vulcan's are a pacifist species but we do believe that the punishment should fit the crime. Live long and prosper Commander Scott." And like that the Vulcan signed off leaving Scotty absolutely speechless.
"Captain Kirk you get back here this instant!" yelled a very angry sounding Nurse Chapel as she chased him down the hall. "You are not cleared for duty and you are restricted from leaving the ship! Get away from-"
With a whirling swish Captain Kirk came barreling into the transporter room and almost barreled over Commander Scott as he tried to escape Nurse Chapel's angry grasp and beam himself down to New Vulcan.
"Scotty quickly beam me down!" Kirk made a face, assuming Scotty was on his side, as he braced himself to be teleported.
Nothing happened.
"Scotty! Now!" Nurse Chapel rolled her eyes, gave Scotty a shrug and silently went back to Sickbay shaking her head, she knew Scotty wouldn't let Kirk get too far.
"Sorry Cap'in but I'm afraid I can't be doing that. Doctor's orders.". Scotty said looking a little sheepish. Had it been any other situation Scotty would have gladly let the Captain go beat the face off anyone who had harmed the Enterprise or her crew, but this situation was just too personal for the Captain and Dr. McCoy.
They all knew that if Dr. McCoy or Captain Kirk beamed down they would not leave that room until Sybok was dead, and to be truthful almost none of the crew would try to stop them either.
They all knew the law, Sybok had to have a trial first, even though all evidence was staked against him and he would sit in prison until the day he died, everyone had the right to a trial, even if they didn't deserve one.
"Scotty! Come on! It was Spock who he hurt! It was the Enterprise that he tried to destroy and give to the Klingons!"
Scotty wanted to give in, especially when Kirk mentioned his silver lady, but he couldn't do it.
About two days after Kirk had woken up (a week after the initial incident), the Vulcan High Counsel had contacted the Enterprise explaining that not only had Sybok tried to steal a Federation starship and kidnap the entirety of it's crew but he had planed to sell the humans into the Klingon slave trade and the technology off the Enterprise would be sold to the highest bidder while the rest of her would be scrapped! Kirk and McCoy had been livid, to top it off, killing Spock had just been something Sybok wanted to do since their childhoods; sibling rivalry, apparently a universal thing.
Every member of the crew had wanted to go up in arms and destroy the monster that claimed to be a Vulcan but Starfleet could not legally condone it... so Scotty had worked around them, by not telling them, and had started their little beam down game. Jim had been informed of Scotty's 'game' shortly after the Vulcan's had called.
"I'm sorry Cap'in I cant." Jim looked absolutely distraught.
"JIM! JIM! Where the hell are you hiding now!?" An even angrier sounding McCoy could be heard bounding down the halls. For a flash of a second Jim looked absolutely terrified at the sound of McCoy's voice but the fear quickly disappeared and was replaced with joy...
...so much joy that Jim appeared to be crying...
"uh... Cap'in are ye all right?" Scotty asked sounding a little nervous.
"I'm ok Scotty! You know Bones and I were talking about how we were gonna raise the baby on the Enterprise. Think you could handle teaching the kid everything you know about engineering? Bones wanted to talk about names and stuff but I got upset and mentioned that Spock and the baby might never wake up! And then... then..." Jim was crying tears of sadness and pain now.
Scotty didn't know what the hell to do. Thankfully Dr. McCoy chose that moment to walk in the transporter room.
"JIM! You-" Bones' rant was cut off mid sentence as Jim ran into his arms and started balling in his arms.
"Bones!" he cried waterly, "What are we gonna do!?" Jim continued to sob hysterically into Bones shoulder while Bones tried to calm him down.
Scotty had never felt so awkward in his life! He was trying to look away but the only other thing to stare at was the wall.
"Jim," Bones said gently after several minutes of crying had gone by, "Jim, you really need to calm down. I know things look bleak right now but you need to be strong. You're the Captain of this ship and the crew is looking at you to guide them. Come on kid, we've had worse days then this!" Bones comforted.
"You're right Bones." Jim said after a breath, "Sorry I don't know what came over me." He explained as he rubbed his face, he sounded much more relaxed suddenly. "Guess I'm just overly anxious and all. I'll head back to Sickbay, don't wanna leave Spock alone." Jim said as he gave Bones a quick kiss and headed out the door a lot happier than when he entered it.
"Thank ye Doctor McCoy, I didn't know what to do with him! He seemed possessed for a second there!" Scotty explained as he went over and put a hand on McCoy's shoulder.
"It's alright Scotty, Jim's just suffering from a little anxiety. He'll be fine once Spock wakes up... if he wakes up" The last part was barely even whispered but Scotty still heard it.
Scotty squeezed McCoy shoulder none to gently and turned the doctor to face him, "Now ye hang on just a damn minute Leonard Horatio McCoy! Mr. Spock WILL wake up. And your baby' ill be just fine too! Don't ye dare think for a second that that ain't de truth!"
Bones was shocked by the Scotsman's ferocity, he could only nod mutely in response as he stared wide eyed at his friend and fellow officer.
"Good! Now get yer sorry backside back to Sickbay! You three are gonna be the happiest family to ever grace the Enterprise and I'll make sure of it even if I have te tie ye all up and throw ya in da brig myself! Now get!"
Just like that Scotty shoved Doctor McCoy out the door and left him to find his own way back to Sickbay.
Again Scotty was left to shake his head, 'even the love birds are crazy this week' Scotty thought to himself.
As Leonard made his way down the Enterprise corridors he couldn't help but laugh at himself. Since the moment he woke up in Sickbay he had single handedly decided that he would just have to leave his lovers first before they had the chance to get sick of him. He figured that the baby had to be Jim's and Spock's which inevitably left him as the odd man out.
He had wanted to prepare himself by getting some relative distance (you can only go so far on a starship) but Jim had been a hysterical mess all week. Since the moment Jim woke up it was a constant battle of being overly excited to be a parent and then switching to never having the chance because Spock and the baby were doomed.
It was completely nerve racking!
To make matters worse Leonard had been diagnosed with a case of the flu, even with modern medicine there was still no crew for that!
Every morning he would puke his guts out.
At lunch he would have to run to the head.
In the last ten days he had only made it through one meal without getting sick and the only thing he had eaten fort that meal was an apple.
Leonard blamed Jim, all his hysteria was wearing on his nerves and his stomach...
But there was more to it than that and Leonard new it. His own anxiety was getting to him as well. Not only did he desperately want Spock and the baby to be ok, he wanted himself to be okay. He was terrified of leaving them but even more distraught by the idea of them leaving him. He had curled himself in knots and with a good talking too Scotty had loosened those knots until they almost disappeared.
Scotty was right, even if he did try to leave no one would ever let him. Spock would know instantly and stop him. Jim would go out of his way to make life as perfect as possible for him. And the entirety of the Enterprise crew would probably tie him up and stand guard to make sure he never left Jim and Spock's side.
He was so lost in his grieving he forgot how loved he really was, even if he didn't always feel it, the love was still there behind all the pain.
Feeling lighter for the first time in over a week, Leonard made his way to the mess hall before returning to Sickbay.
Leonard had just managed to finish eating an entire salad without making a trip to the head when he heard Jim come screaming down the halls again.
"BONES! BONES! BONES!" Jim hollered as he ran into the mess. Leonard rolled his eyes as he went to put his tray away. He figured Jim was having another one of his panic attacks based off the tears in his eyes.
"Jim calm down! You-"
"BONES! He's waking up!" Jim shouted as tears continued to stream down his face.
Leonard dropped the tray and sprinted out of the mess and into the halls to Sickbay with Jim right on his heels. They burst into Sickbay to see Nurse Chapel running into Spock's room to assist Doctor M'Benga.
Jim and Leonard ran straight to them, "What's happening?!" Bones demanded as he tried to interfere and take readings for himself. Nurse Chapel yanked the tricorder from Leonard's hands.
"Dr. McCoy, sit down! We will do our jobs!"
It felt like the waiting would never end as M'Benga scanned Spock's mind and Nurse Chapel scanned the baby.
"This is really good news!" Chapel squealed as the tricorder actually managed to get a few readings off the baby this time. "Apparently Spock is no longer shielding because I'm getting a heart beat from the baby, no images yet, the baby is still too small..." Chapel trailed off as she happily continued scanning.
"What about Spock?!" Jim asked looking at M'Benga.
"He seems to be coming out of his healing trance, he should be conscious within the next hour gentlemen." M'Benga explained smiling as he put the tricorder down. He made a few notes and left the Captain and CMO to wait for their husband to finally wake up.
Don't worry I'm not actually leaving you here after all the time you spent waiting! Thank you again for waiting. Hope you enjoyed! Please review! Or ask questions! I love questions!