Series: Moments in Time (Obsession)
Characters: Kirk, Spock
Rating: T
Warnings/Spoilers: Spoilers for the episode in question.

A/N: Rumor has it that the original script for this episode called for the redshirts to make miraculous recoveries by ~~space magic~~, which would help make the typical hand-wavey treatment of crew deaths a little more palatable in light of the rest of the episode. In true TOS fashion, I'm downplaying that issue as well.

Completely unrelated, but also interesting: there's also a short story I vaguely remember from an anthology somewhere which references this event in the Mirror universe, one in which the young Lieutenant Kirk actually sets up the cloud to assassinate half the crew of the Farragut in revenge for mistreatment from Captain Garrovick. The more you know.


Shortly after exiting the transporter room he parts ways with McCoy and Garrovick at the aft turbolift, the doctor heading for the starboard lift and its more direct access to Sickbay, the latter back to his cabin, this time of his own volition. Their discussions are far from over, he is well aware, but is equally aware that it will do none of them good to continue at this time.

Said aft lift, however, is not moving, and has not since his First Officer entered it moments before. It's apparently time to pay the Vulcan piper, and he braces himself as the doors close again, this time upon them both.

"Deck Five. You are aware that eavesdropping is an entirely human characteristic, Mr. Spock?"

"In that, I must disagree, Captain."

"Oh, you must, must you?"

"The desire to learn by any means available is a trait ingrained in most sentient beings. I will grant you, being forced to utilize such means due to a lack of more forthright communication, is most commonly relegated to humanity."

He has to laugh, because he's dangerously close to an entirely different display of emotional proportions after running the gamut of them this so-very-draining day. It has not been one of his best, to put it kindly; and had he any less loyal officers, it very likely would not be put so kindly.

There will be no rest for him tonight, not with so much self-reflection he must do over his actions in the last twenty-four hours.

"I can't decide if I've been insulted or very gently reprimanded, Commander."

"I believe I will leave both of those to Doctor McCoy's far more capable hands, sir." Dark eyes soften slightly, all levity gone now. "That is not my function or intention aboard this ship, Jim. You know this."

And that, is more of a reproof than the official warning earlier had been.

Impulsive he may be, but a fool is not something he has been called yet in his command career. He reaches out to pause the lift just before it reaches Deck Five, and feels the hum of machinery obediently slow beneath them.

Spock's eyes slide to him in the reflection of the polished duochromium door, but his First does not speak, or acknowledge the action in any way.

The hesitance in itself, is more clear than a red alert siren to indicate that he has seriously damaged this fragile thing between them - whatever that may be exactly, when one party is in a subtle but never-ending war against half of who he is, and one is so very stubbornly, entirely, unapologetically human.

His heavy exhale breaks the abrupt silence, and he shakes his head after a moment.

"Earlier today. You were in Garrovick's cabin."

A half-second of hesitation. "Gathering further information was the most logical next step in our pursuit of the entity."

He laughs, a harsh and unpleasant sound containing absolutely no amusement, and pinches the bridge of his nose to stave off the fast-approaching headache. "It was nothing of the kind, and we both know that." A helpless gesture in the air between them. "You were doing my job, because I was incapable of it. And I'm beginning to fear how many times you've done that kind of thing without my even noticing, Mr. Spock."

A tilt of the head, fully in character to both acknowledge and dismiss the damning truth. "I believe you underestimate yourself, Captain. My duty is to assist."

"Commander, I am fairly certain your duty does not entail covering for command decisions you know full well are questionable at best." Intuition is command prerogative, indeed. "And it says something terrible about me, that my Vulcan First Officer has done a better job of assuaging a crewman's misplaced guilt than I have, today."

"You will remember, I attempted to do so for two crewmen, sir." A pointed eyebrow. "As a scientist, I am compelled to remind you that a 50% success rate is not precisely a laudable scientific accomplishment. This is not an area in which I specialize."

He half-smiles, but doesn't rise to the gentle teasing. "Out of pure curiosity…what exactly would it take, for you to relieve me of command without McCoy pulling you into a mental evaluation as well? If this wasn't enough, what precisely would I have to do?"

"I do not know." His incredulity must be immediately visible, for Spock raises a hand in remonstration. "For the reason that such a situation has not yet occurred, Captain. Not because I would not do so if the situation required."

That's a little more reassuring, even if he suspects it's likely not the entire truth.

"While I do not doubt your capability, I am concerned about your…willingness, to evaluate said situation, Mr. Spock." He leans back against the wall, weary beyond belief both physically and emotionally, and runs a hand over his face. "What do you say to that?"

"I would say…that you sound far more like yourself now, than you have for the past twenty-four hours. Jim."

He looks up, and is met with the same steadfast reassurance that he has found himself relying on far more often than he should, these days. What will he ever do, if forced to deal without it for any length of time?

"You may rest assured that had the events of today transpired more than six hours in the future, I would have taken the necessary steps to ensure safety of both the Enterprise and the colony on Theta Seven. I had already calculated we had five hours, fifty-seven minutes to spare in this matter before facing permanent repercussions with the Yorktown rendezvous. The timing is most certainly not preferable, but neither is it catastrophic. The Yorktown's crew is as skilled as ours in adapting to unforeseen circumstances, and in the worst-case scenario, could have docked at Starbase Eleven for assistance in keeping perishable medical supplies viable."

That's slightly more reassuring.

"In addition, had there not been accompanying scientific evidence to indicate both that this creature was intelligent, and that it was going to reproduce, becoming exponentially more deadly to humanoid life before another vessel in this sector would be capable of pursuit, I would have more forcibly pressed the issue. Ascribing your human intuition to…less scientific factors, was simply not necessary in this instance."

And that's far less reassuring, yet at the same time much more so. He will not take the warning lightly.

"There is also the fact that the entity was able to communicate to you without verbal speech. Under Federation law, this ability is classified as a level three threat until the being in question is proven to have non-malicious intent. It may not be telepathy, may not even be a conscious action; but until proven otherwise, we are to regard it as dangerous until proven otherwise"

He blinks, not even having thought of that. He has really been off his game today, and he has only himself to blame.

"Well, loopholes or not, you would make a fine captain of your own ship, Spock. Vulcan or not, you've proven that, and not just today." He sighs, and reaches out to resume lift functions. The resulting computer acknowledgment punctuates the words with mechanical finality. He flicks a glance sideways, and keeps his voice lighter than he feels with the next words. "Should I be worried?"

"Negative. While the Enterprise is still in active service under your command, I have no such ambition."

The doors slide open on the hubbub of Deck Five during shift change.

"And once that's not the case?"

"As you said, sir. Should I be worried?"

His laughter follows them into the corridor.