Author's Note: Thanks so much for following along. Hope you enjoy what's next. I've greatly appreciate your reviews! DLB48, beta reader extraordinaire, thank you so much for your assistance with this story, as always!
Nyota lagged behind the two other women as they left the captain's ready room and headed towards a conference room where they could continue to work undisturbed. The captain requested more research before they returned to Re'an. Although time was limited, Nyota felt she needed a brief moment alone before working closely with Aleyah. Maybe she was overthinking the woman's inclusion on the away team but McCoy appeared troubled when he caught sight of Dr. Jahnas. The captain and his health were usually the root of the doctor's concern, and today seemed to be no exception. Gaila had often spoken about her cousin with a wary gleam in her eyes when it came to men. Gaila was less discrete when she spoke of Aleyah and Starfleet, informing Nyota that although her cousin was a genius in her field of study, her ambitions were selfish and boundless.
Dawdling, Nyota felt slightly guilty for abandoning Carol to the she-wolf character. However, she was also hungry and hoped Spock would have time to accompany her to the mess hall for a quick bite to eat. She turned around, decisively postponing her entrance into the conference room. Spock stood in the corridor, stance frozen near the door of the ready room and not noticing her approach. When she was but a few feet away, McCoy's voice drifted into the corridor. She frowned. She'd been sure the doctor had left when they did. He must have double-backed.
"...you know it's time, Jim. Especially now-"
"Leave it alone, Bones. Please."
"I can't, Jimmy. If you're ill, and on top of that, remembering..."
"It's better left alone. You know that it is."
"You can't mean that, Jim."
Spock's dark eyes clouded listening to the heated exchange between Kirk and McCoy. She withheld her inquiry as Spock's gaze flickered to her and then back to the open door where they both could make out the outline of the captain hunched over the table. She stepped forward, worried that Kirk would keel over at any second. Spock grabbed her arm.
"No, Nyota," he whispered calmly. Although she was perplexed that he was not interceding, she stopped. Her muscles coiled and she was unable to refrain from listening. He let go of her arm but she continued to worry. She held her breath, listening as Kirk's controlled, authoritative voice suddenly became something entirely ugly and unexpected.
"Bones, it was a long time ago!" Jim snapped. "It has nothing to do with how I feel after your damn hypos."
Nyota blinked, lurching back at the abrupt and harsh tone of the captain's voice. Spock caught her again and clutched her arms. A long time ago?
"Unless you care to speak of something else, I would like to head to sickbay..."
"Nyota," Spock said softly, staring down at her with a resolute expression. "I must stay to escort the captain."
She knew and had already pulled away from him. Even if regulations did not demand the First Officer's attention when the captain was incapacitated, Spock would not leave his friend's side. Not when he was hurting, and certainly not when he was reacting poorly to Dr. McCoy's ministrations.
"I know. I'll see you shortly."
She scurried away, tamping down the worry as much as she could as she made her way to the conference room, mess hall forgotten. Her thoughts slowly returned to the task at hand but the confrontation she'd overheard buzzed at the forefront like a persistent, blood-sucking mosquito.
"Lieutenant, are you alright?" Carol murmured after Nyota sat beside her.
"I'm fine." She flashed a forced smile, hoping neither Carol nor Aleyah noticed the difference. "We've work to do."
"Yes, we do," Dr. Jahnas stated. "Captain Kirk would like us to be especially attentive of the Re'an during the ceremony today and aware of...these."
Glad for a diversion from her anxiety, Nyota's eyes eagerly swept over the hard copies of drawings Dr. Jahnas handed her. They were small but detailed sketches of the specific Re'an creatures Nyota herself had researched. The Re'an used all types of creatures, but those resembling smaller, harmless Terran snakes were more common for use in communication. She just as hungrily read the ethologist's notes, wanting to know all she could behind the mannerisms of this intriguing race. They would help her immensely. And wouldn't Kirk be excited to see what Aleyah had accomplished? "When did you get all of this done?"
Dr. Jahnas' eyes widened in surprise. "Me? It wasn't just my work, Lieutenant."
Impressed, Nyota inspected each of the drawings. When she got to the bottom of the pile, she blinked in shock. She pulled the drawing from its place, lifting it up in disbelief. She stared for a moment. The intricacies in the creature's skin, the utter emotion portrayed...was outstanding. Outstanding - and mysterious and only magnifying the tension she'd witnessed minutes ago. Beside her, Dr. Marcus leaned in, her curiosity inevitably piqued as well. "When did the captain tell you about the snake he held?"
Aleyah's mouth curved upward. She took the sketch of the snake draped around Kirk from Nyota with a particular, drawn out nonchalance.
"Isn't that snake remarkable? When did he tell me? Last night. Or, should I say," Aleyah lowered her voice. "This morning."
"What?" Nyota exclaimed before she could stop herself. Of all the things for Kirk to do. Dr. Marcus' familiar control slipped as her face paled significantly. Nyota backpedaled. There had to be an explanation. Given Kirk's recent out of character behavior and Aleyah's relation to Gaila, Nyota could almost imagine him acting out of passion rather than with a sound mind and logic. But he'd been so different with women. Less assured, less forward or not forward at all. Surely he hadn't...
"You should see the look on both of your faces," Aleyah said, eyes dancing with amusement. "It wasn't like that at all."
Although Dr. Marcus' body visibly relaxed, her mouth tipped down in displeasure. "You don't mean that you and Captain Kirk were researching all night. The captain's schedule today is quite full. Too full for insufficient rest. And if he is unwell..."
Aleyah raised an eyebrow at Carol's resurfacing concern for Kirk's well-being, her lips drawing into a faint smirk. Nyota's anger stirred. Aleyah appeared absolutely delighted and no doubt had purposefully mentioned the extra details simply to annoy and bait Carol.
"Never fear, ladies. The captain managed to contribute quite a bit in the hour before he fell asleep with some wine in his belly. The man was simply exhausted and I didn't have the heart to disturb him. However, these drawings here..." Aleyah pulled three from the pile and laid them on the table. They were as good if not better than xenozoologist's sketches. "These are his. I didn't realize he was so skilled."
"Why is the snake wrapping around him? And so tightly?" Carol frowned, still focused on the other sketch. Nyota handed her the sketch in question. Carol's fingers followed the maze of coiling as the creature wrapped around Kirk's wrist and arm. "This is disturbing. Did this...the snake really coil itself around the captain?"
Aleyah hesitated. Nyota held her breath, unsure how the woman would reply. Had Kirk explained to her in full?
"It did and he described to me its movements exactly. Those movements are what we need to discern. It wasn't clear why the snake coiled itself around him, but he did know the snake wouldn't harm him."
"It recognized it was subordinate?" Carol's eyes would not stray from the image.
"It's more than that," Nyota offered, wanting to explain this clearly without revealing more than the captain would desire. Instinctively, she had realized yesterday she would have to leave out mention of the captain's alleged tragedy from any notes or conversation regarding these creatures. "It does recognize Captain Kirk as the more powerful being. But, Prince Lequa told us these creatures have a gift. They sense levels of great strength, and they sensed the captain's."
"A mark of property or territory, then, in a way, by way of an act of honor." Aleyah murmured, eyes bright and looking so much like Gaila. "Fascinating. The captain must know about this. The alien creatures I've come across often behave contrary to their Terran counterparts or differently altogether. It makes perfect sense that they would see Captain Kirk as part of their own territory within the Re'an civilization, especially if they sense that strength in him."
Nyota frowned, not liking the implication of such behavior. "It may be the way it expresses subordinance, as Dr. Marcus said."
"I'm not so sure. Technically, the Re'an of Beta Re'an IV didn't believe anyone or anything to be subordinate, and you can confirm my observation, Lieutenant, that they've carried that same belief to this planet. Even the royal family treats its subjects with great respect. They may be called 'masters' but there is a minute change in that very definition of master. Here, within the context of animals as a form of communication, it would most likely be an expression of honor - not subordinance, even if they are claiming him. They are claiming him as a being that is stronger and more powerful than themselves in a very definite, visible way. That, in turn, shows they do not necessarily feel they are completely subordinate - but respectful."
Nyota did not want to admit, but Aleyah was correct.
"Captain Kirk explained to me the same snake was worn along the shoulders of Prince Lequa's child. In doing so, I think the boy is showing his peers he is different among them. It makes him distinguishable from others. Most of the Re'an, it appears, can wear a smaller snake but those of the royal family include those of larger, varying sizes."
"That is a remarkable concept, but I..." Carol hesitated. With extra caution, she placed the drawing on the table and pushed it away with her fingertips. "I don't have a good feeling when I look at this, but then again...I have never been terribly fond of snakes."
"Thankfully, for the captain's sake, I appreciate them. I admit I had been so intrigued by the snake he described to me and inspired by the captain himself that, well..." Aleyah gave a small shrug. "This is what I worked on after he fell asleep and I returned to my quarters. It will benefit us greatly for our task today, Lieutenant, as we observe their ceremony. For this..."
Dr. Jahnas paused, pulling up magnification of a crude image on her PADD. "...is what Captain Kirk would like to decipher.
"That's on the missile." Dr. Marcus frowned. "Why is he interested in this?"
"He believes the image shown here is related to the very creature which coiled around his arm." She pointed to a particular area. "See...there...it could be an arm...and the more detailed part of the image greatly resembles the tail of a snake - or another scaled creature indigenous to Re'an. That is why we experimented with creating images ourselves, to see if anything matched. He wants to know what the image means, although I am not altogether clear why he is adamant we solve the mystery immediately."
Nyota inhaled sharply, mentally fitting pieces of the puzzle together. The prince's troubling reference to a "tragedy" and the snake winding around Kirk's body had instigated a chain of events. Ever since those events, the captain's health and demeanor had deteriorated. This insistence on answers made her suspect that he had connected the events with something in his past. And whatever that something was distressed him immensely.
But research aside, Nyota wanted to rush from the ready room and strangle Kirk. What had he been thinking? Allowing Aleyah in his quarters in the middle of the night? Carol's eyes flickered away from each of the sketches, a hint of hurt upon her pale face. Carol cared for Kirk, and Nyota suspected that the captain returned a small fraction of the affection, whether or not he knew it for himself.
"Please," Aleyah's smooth voice swelled and edged towards condescending. "Do not judge your captain so quickly, Nyota. He wasn't himself, I confess. I was concerned and left shortly after he fell asleep."
"He hasn't been lately." Carol's wounded expression faded as she spoke with an authority about Kirk's disposition. "Himself, I mean."
Nyota held her tongue. She again knew more than either of them: that their captain was struggling and even his best of friends weren't sure how to help him.
McCoy breathed a sigh of relief once Jim's heavy eyes closed and his breathing deepened. Without having to speak, he and Spock had both agreed that Jim could not return to the planet in his current condition. The captain needed sleep so badly that McCoy overrode his medical instincts and slipped a sedative into Jim's drink.
"I do not think he will be pleased with you, doctor." Spock clasped his hands behind his back.
"Once he awakens and realizes I slipped something in his drink and his schedule today was pushed back even more, all because he was getting his beauty rest?" McCoy deadpanned as he adjusted the pillow under his stubborn captain's head. Another side effect of the vaccination which McCoy had failed to anticipate was the pain levels Jim was currently experiencing. Jim barely managed walking on his own to sickbay and if it hadn't been for Spock's assistance he'd never had made it there in one piece. Jim had also refused to rest and this was the alternative McCoy had been left with. "Whatever gave you the impression that he would be upset?"
"While the captain recovers I will keep to his schedule. He will join us on Re'an V when he is better. I believe I should commend your swift action to address this situation. However, I do have an issue with your previous interaction with the captain. Were you unaware that the vaccine would cause the captain such great physical discomfort?"
Hearing Spock's unstated question made McCoy realize that Christine Chapel must have spoken to him sometime after bringing the captain his medication. She had stepped in as Jim's protector, surmising that McCoy should have been more attentive to Jim given his medical history. McCoy almost laughed, just to scoff at himself. What a mess of things he had made.
"If you are asking me if I intended to harm him, the answer is you are out of your Vulcan mind." McCoy scowled, knowing that he was deflecting. Truthfully, he could barely reply to the judgemental question as the horror of what he had allowed to happen continued to sink in deeply.
"I am not accusing you of that, Doctor. However, it has been brought to my attention that you perhaps did perform your duty in a hurried, unprofessional manner without informing your patient of the consequences or allowing the patient to prepare himself."
He couldn't deny Spock's claim and he had no excuse to give the Vulcan. "I understand what I did wrong, Spock."
"May I inquire as to why you did not attempt to avoid this situation?"
McCoy stood, momentarily tongue-tied. There was nothing he could say that would not eventually lead back to events in Jim's past, or at least hint of it and demand more answers than either he or Jim could give.
"Dr. McCoy, as First Officer of the Enterprise, I must inform you that I will find the answers I need. I have observed the increasing tension between you and the captain and have reason to suspect that your unprofessional behavior is related to that tension. Since the captain's return from Re'an, I have noted that this rift has widened. Furthermore, although you and he both deny that anything is amiss, I have observed multiple references to events in the captain's past. Each reference has been followed by a marked deterioration in your relationship. Logic dictates that the two are related and therefore I conclude that this...tragedy...is at the root of your issue. The presence of such tension between the captain and chief medical officer is distressing to me. However, logic fails to explain how the two men I most admire and who themselves profess to having a deep friendship can allow their interactions to degrade to this level. It is most illogical as well as disturbing."
McCoy swallowed. "I cannot explain this to you, Spock, because Jim is the one who should explain. I'm sorry."
"I see." Spock clasped his hands behind his back and walked over to Jim's bed. "In that case, I expect a detailed report of this incident. I also expect to witness a concise apology to Captain Kirk upon his awakening. Will he be sufficiently recovered once he awakens?"
McCoy nodded as he adjusted Jim's IV so that he would receive the fluids necessary during his sedation. "The side effects should be noticeably diminished when he awakens in six hours."
"If those side effects are not diminished, doctor, expect more than a mere reprimand from me, Dr. McCoy." If McCoy had any doubts of Spock's allegiance to his captain during the turbulent last few weeks, they were alleviated now. "I have an additional request."
"You would like the explanation for our behavior."
Spock didn't move a muscle save the elegantly, arched eyebrow.
"I can apply logic when I want to," McCoy said with a grunt. "I just can't explain this without speaking first to Jim - alone."
"I do not believe that to be wise."
"I guarantee that Jim will feel the way I do."
"I will not alter the plan of action that I wish to take to resolve this troubling manner. It must not continue. I will not allow it, for both of your sakes, Dr. McCoy, and for the sake of the crew."
"At any cost?" McCoy's mind swirled with the myriad of ways this could go, none of which would be comfortable for any of them, especially Jim. "You have no idea what you're getting into by forcing this, Spock."
"On the contrary, doctor. I completely understand that there will be considerable consequences - for us all."