McCoy runs his fingers over smooth metal and grins, purposefully squeaking his heel against the polished floors of the Enterprise. "They don't make 'em like this anymore," he murmurs.
"Obviously. The original Enterprise was decommissioned nearly a century ago."
McCoy raises his head to scowl at his inscrutable Vulcan companion. "You know what I mean and don't pretend you don't. You have to know what I mean right now. They never made 'em better than this."
Spock raises an eyebrow, as if to imply that McCoy would get no such agreement out of him. But he does not disagree either.
McCoy takes another glance around his sickbay, breathing in the disinfectant and recycled air that had galled him for so long. "Look at these old scanners… never could make 'em fully work on you, remember? But any hanged fool could take one look at the things and get an idea of whether someone was dyin' or not. Accessible. Understandable. Blamed things now use twice as many dials to get half the idea across."
"One wonders what admiral of medicine would have approved such a 'fool idea'."
"Now don't you start!" Leonard barks, whirling on Spock. "At least the newfangled ones are better with other species… oh, confound it. They just don't make 'em like they used to, that's all I'm saying."
"Indeed. You seem to be saying little else."
McCoy throws a datapadd at Spock, and enjoys it immensely.
Stalking out of medbay, McCoy finds himself bouncing on his toes and taking longer and longer strides.
"I was unaware you were in such a rush," came Spock's voice behind him.
"You try being bedridden sometime, Mr Spock," Leonard rejoined, "and see how long it takes you to miss stretching your legs. Haven't had a walk like this in ages. In fact, I might just walk all over every part of the ship."
And they do.
Upon reaching the bridge, Bones slowly wanders over to his traditional spot on the left of the captain's chair, with Spock taking the right. The bridge is as deserted as the rest of the Enterprise, and McCoy runs a finger over the chair.
"Spock… play a good one. One of the really good times."
Memory-Spock materializes beside him, Jim suddenly filling the captain's chair. The rhythmic beeping of the bridge floods his ears, and his own doppleganger stands beside him.
"How'd you two get along without me?" Jim asks.
"Oh, we managed," responds memory-McCoy. "Uh… Mr Spock gave the orders, and I found the answers."
"Good… no problems between you?"
Bones grins, watching the three interact, as an impromptu bond is formed between his and Spock's past selves.
"None worth reporting, captain," Memory-Spock interjects.
"God, Spock… were we really such awful liars?"
"As you are perfectly aware, Doctor, Vulcans cannot lie."
McCoy snorted, attempting to project as much disbelief as possible at Spock through their bond. "Oh, yes, Mr Spock. However could I have forgotten?"