Yes, that was one thing he was certain about, only the crew, his crew, had been on the bridge. Before he reviewed the reports from Scotty and Bones he wanted to see if anything in his report would say who had been on the bridge. It was ship's policy that everybody who came onto the bridge be noted if not due to be on shift at the time.

"I saw Captain Kupe and First Officer Bennet beamed off the ship and back to the Totara then returned to the bridge where Mister Spock returned the chair to me. I was about to sit but decided to stand and watch the Totara sail away and thought of how different it was from what was my training ship. I was standing watching it and Mister Spock was starting for the turbolift when there was an explosion. I regained consciousness six weeks later as Doctor McCoy wanted to keep me in that state so my body could fully heal. He then kept me off the ship full time for another week while the finishing work on the rebuild and refit is being done."

How could he have forgotten having a two day visit with the Captain and First Officer of the Totara, Starfleet's latest training ship? It had been a welcome chance to just relax and he had enjoyed spending time with First Officer Kim Bennet as she not only very attractive but also had several similar interests. Spock had spent time with the Captain Glen Kupe who was a very serious and very intelligent man. He had shown them the entire ship, including the bridge and while the First Officer would now and then touch something the Captain had his hands behind his back, much the same way as Spock so often did.

It seemed odd that he had forgotten that but it was the expected routine when other Starfleet vessels are encountered.

He looked at the report form the first investigative crew on the ship thinking he may have missed something that would indicate who could have done this to his ship. It mentioned the three strategically placed bombs on the bridge as well as a gas bomb and the same down in Engineering that would have caused serious damage that would have totally disabled the ship and left little more that life-support operational had Mister Spock not been able to disable the two he had successfully disabled.

That was it, that's what he was missing. He had not seen a report by Spock. For a moment he half-smiled, he had not really looked as he knew how very detailed it would be so he had decided to wait till he remembered more. He nodded, Spock's could wait. There was still the ones of Scotty and Bones to read. Surely one of them would have the answer.

Scootty's report just stated that Spock had rushed in with red blood all over him ordering him to evacuate the department and to take over auxiliary control as the ship and come under internal attack and the bridge had been a target. As Scotty was getting his crew out Spock had gone to the com site and sent a message to Captain Kupe of the Totara asking him to have Officer Bennet placed under watch and to only tell her of explosions on the bridge of the Enterprise. Spock had reminded him of the order to take command from auxiliary before Spock had secured from the inside. Only after he had made contact with Starfleet about the situation and had the Enterprise on route to Starbase Ten did he return to Engineering. When he got the odor open there was clear evidence of an explosion and he had helped Mister Spock to Sickbay.

Sickbay? Nobody had mentioned Spock going to Sickbay.

McCoy's report indicated that he knew nothing about the bombs until "Mister Spock came rushing into Sickbay carrying Captain Kirk and left saying there had been bombs on the bridge and he was to ensure Engineering was safe and I was to order all crew to their quarters. Captain Kirk suffered substantial damage as is found with blast injuries. In order to insure that his skeletal system retains its integrity with his sensory and nerve system it was deemed necessary to keep the Captain comatose for a minimum of six weeks and then on restricted light duties for a week. I had only just finished working on the Captain when Mister Scott came in carrying Mister Spock. I have him on full life support and have requested that a Vulcan healer be made available as soon as possible as I am not sure about many of the readings I have taken. Prognosis unknown.

Damn them. They would all have known he would want to know what had happened to Spock. He turned off his computer all could feel his anger build as he walked to Sickbay. As he strode along he remembered the closed door to the intensive care room. He had seen a Vulcan go into that room but had put it down to a drug induced hallucination. McCoy better have a damned good reason. Hell, they better all have a damned good reason for not telling him.

As Kirk charged into Sickbay he was good and riled but halted in his tracks by two security officers who grabbed him as he came through the door.

"Wondered when you would turn up." McCoy came out of his office and just looked at him for a minute then at the two men. "He'll be okay, just wait by the other door. No way is he to get in there. The healer will leave shortly."

When the men released him McCoy indicated his office with a nod of his head and Kirk walked in and sat down, barely controlling his fury.

"Now before you get going, Captain, I want you to listen to something that will explain why you were not told before. I know I overstepped the line by not only having and keeping this but also for having it deleted from the recording of events on the bridge."

Kirk heard his voice and the anger and venom in it shocked him, "First Officer Spock, you should remember that I am the Captain of this ship and if I decide to show an officer of another sip around my ship I will as it is my right to do so without asking an underling for permission. If First Officer Bennet wants to sit in the chair I see no harm as one day she might be a Captain, some First Officers are not afraid to seek Captaincy. Unlike you she has the makings of an exceptional Captain as she knows what lines First Officers do not cross."

It was his voice but he could not really remember saying them. They were words he would never say to Spock, not like that, not with so much fury and malice. He bowed his head and closed his eyes knowing the McCoy was studying his reactions. "Clearly from your earlier comments about it being unwise to let her walk around the ship as she likes reflects the fact you do not trust my judgement and authority and I will have no dealings with any officer who not only acts in that way but also who openly questions my decisions. If you do not trust my decisions how I can I trust you? I was told I should not a half-breed and I should have listened. From now on you are to stick strictly to those matters of concern to the ship, the mission, do the duties accorded to just your rank and designations, and you are to stay the hell out of my private life."

For a moment there was silence then McCoy, having seen how hearing what he had just heard had clearly shaken his Captain and friend nodded, "You okay, Jim?"

Kirk looked at his friend and saw understanding and sympathy about the blue eyes that were clearly studying him, "How, Bones? How could I have said that to him?"

"Later for the why but it looks like you got what you wanted, looks like he will be staying the hell out of you life and, unfortunately the lives of the rest of us. If he makes it through the physical damage, which the Vulcan healer is not sure he will, there is not telling if he will make it through the mental trauma and if he does what he will be like. The healer is not sure as to how much damage has been done, he is in there now doing a penultimate assessment. All his readings are way off what they should be. If he had stopped when he brought you in here there most likely would have been no major damage but if he had not done what he did," McCoy closed his eyes and shook his head. "When Scotty found him the room he said there was a strange smell and that it was clear that Spock had defused two bombs and realized he could not defuse the last one so used some padding and his own body to lessen the damage.

"I just can't get anywhere with those damned Vulcan factors and the Vulcan healer is stymied by the Human factors. We both agree that there really is nothing more we can really do but wait."

"Bone, I've got," Kirk looked toward the door to the Intensive Care Unit and saw a Security Officer standing by the door.

"What you've got, Captain, is a new First Officer," Kirk back at McCoy, "Yes, I know about it as I had to report on Spock's medical condition and when Command asked when he would be fit to return to duty I had to state that it would be best to consider having a Science Officer and First Officer in mind."

"Bones, you,"

"I had to think of what was best for my patient and the ship and that seemed to be the best thing to do. I will make a decision in a week, after the last examination by the Vulcan healer and I see how he reacts to some sheer old-fashioned desperation by me." McCoy sighed and shook his head as he looked directly at him, "You sue did it this time, Jim. Now he really has nothing to come back for, does he?"

"What, what do you mean?"

"The last thing he heard from you was to stay the hell out of his life and the way you said it was full of emotion. You most likely did not see how much those words hurt him but the bridge crew did."

"Bridge? Did I," Kirk had no recollection of saying the words and was sickened by what he had said, but to know he had said it on the bridge, that he had lashed out like that at Spock in front of the crew. Those people were like a family.

"We were aware you were infatuated by Officer Bennet but for you to react like that, to treat Spock like that, was a purely emotional outburst. We saw how each word seemed to rock Spock. All he had done was not understand that you were so infatuated by her that you let her do things you would not allow other visitors to do and had pointed it out to you as is part of his role as First Officer. I cannot speak for the others but when he walked off the bridge I was close to following him. I took one step and he shook his head at me and left. Sort of ironic as I thought that he seemed to be a broken man not knowing that the next time I saw him he would be physically broken."

"Who,"

"It was just the six of us who saw your outburst and what it did to Spock. This time he will be sure he has nothing to come back to. This time he will believe that you no longer trust him, you no longer want him in your life. You calling him a half-breed really shocked all of us and seemed to all but shatter him."

"How, Bones, how could I,"

"She was young, good looking, and stroking your ego, Jim. She also," for a moment McCoy was silent as he clearly mentally debated telling him something.

"She also what?"

"Jim did she get you your coffee?"

"Yes, what," Kirk stopped as he remembered her insisting on getting him some coffee that last night, how she had made sure he always had a cup of coffee whenever he wanted one. "Drugged?"

"Enough to knock out a Horta for a few hours. She knew a great deal about pharmacology, those two gas bombs she made released some very strong psychedelic and psychotropic drugs that have clearly effected Spock's mind. Scotty said there was a strong strange smell in Engineering when he went it and Spock had been breathing it for at least fifteen minutes. Add their effect with what you said and I would not blame him if he stopped holding on."

"Can, can I just see him, even from the door?"

"The Vulcan healer is in with him and will be for at least another hour."

"An hour?" Kirk's mind was going through a list of what he had to do in that time, all of which he quickly ignored as he realized there was one thing he had to do. "Tell Scotty he has command till I get back in an hour."

"Jim, what are you going to do?"

"I'll let you know when I get back."

"Just don't do anything stupid."

"You know me, Bones."

"My point exactly."

Kirk beamed down to Starbase Ten and went to the Security Building and went into a room and waited for three minutes before Captain Kupe walked in and said, "She has only been told that she is being held in suspicion of being a part of a plot to destroy the Enterprise as there had been three major explosions on the Bridge and Engineering sections of the Enterprise. She does not know of the extent of the damage nor of any injuries. I am sorry to hear about what happened the Mister Spock."

Officer Bennet was brought in and there was a look of total shock on her fac when she saw him, "You should be dead. You and your ship should be dead." There was a momentary look of total shock on her face, then she nodded, "I, I was told there had been explosions on the bridge of your ship as well as in Engineering but not a word about deaths of injuries."

"Why?"

She looked at him with a smile he did not quite understand, "As your First Officer would say, please specify. Why is such an open ended question."

"Why did you attack my ship?"