Gastronomic Gestures
They don't talk much about Tarsus IV after it's all over. Kirk is grateful for that. Karidian - Kodos - is dead, after all. What more is there to be said? McCoy offers to talk, or even just listen, several times. Says his door is open no matter the time of day and, while Kirk appreciates the favour, he knows he will never call it in.
A week later, he is pleasantly surprised when his meal card presents him with a veritable feast; roast turkey, chicken and beef along with a variety of vegetables, condiments and four different puddings.
"My, my!" he exclaims, chuckling, to Spock. "Which engineering ensign do you think I have to thank for this fortunate mistake?"
Spock does not reply, but takes his own leafy salad in silence and follows Kirk to a table. As they sit, his gaze falls on McCoy across the mess hall. He is sitting with Nurse Chapel and it is only when she points to Spock that he turns round and faces up to the Vulcan's intense scrutiny.
Last night, they both met in Sickbay to discuss which tests to run on a new organism found on a passing asteroid. As time progressed, conversation had turned to other things, and settled finally on the Tarsus IV tragedy. They talked at length about the massacre, the executions and of course the famine itself. Eight thousand colonists - men, women and one child in particular - with no food.
McCoy shrugs innocently at Spock, turning back to Chapel with an easy grin. Spock, in turn, refocusses on Kirk. The Captain is chatting animatedly, breaking only to shovel his food down with a gormless expression of bliss.
Spock should report McCoy for abuse of power, but he is learning strange things from these humans and the reprimand is never issued.
Author's Note: Reposted from a previous fic which has since been deleted.