Chapter Text
Spock had a problem.
This statement was not anything new on Spock’s part, as a member of Starfleet he had signed up with the express knowledge that having and solving problems was always going to be in the job. Spock had just never had a problem quite like this.
This problem wasn’t one to be solved with science and logic. One could not solve Spock’s dilemma the traditional Vulcan way that he had been taught in his youth. This problem was far too complex and far too frustratingly complicated for traditional methods.
The problem? Namely, one Captain James. T Kirk, the successor of Captain Pike, after the accident. The one that his old Captain knew about years before it happened. The one he could have avoided but chose not to for the express purpose of saving Spock’s life Spock’s life. He was grateful for that, if not illogically saddened by the leaving of his former Captain and, by extension, Lieutenant Commander Una, who was sent to a different ship almost immediately.
It was not that he and his new Captain did not, as the human’s around him say, ‘click’. It was that perhaps himself and Captain Kirk had perhaps clicked together too well. Like puzzle pieces that had finally been joined together to make a picture whole.
To make matters worse, Spock was now Kirk’s XO, meaning the two worked together constantly, which made his problem all the more insufferable. The feelings that raced through him were vastly alien to him, messy and complicated in the way his feelings for T’Pring had never been. It was shocking and new, raw and real. It was terrifying yet exhilarating at the same time.
Of course, Kirk did not reciprocate said complex feelings, and Spock held him to no obligation to do so. What they had was enough. Even if certain crewmembers thought differently.
It seemed that the change in command had done very little to dissuade his peers and friends from idle gossip. They spent most mornings before Alpha Shift dragging him to the table they shared in a corner to do nothing more than spend time with each other and trade respective stories either taken from other’s or witnessed themselves first hand.
“What do you think about him, Spock?” Lieutenant Ortegas had asked him one morning, elbows propped up on the table. In all real honesty, Spock had effectively tuned out their conversation, instead trying to remember everything needed for the away mission to Duna VI. Spock, in his half-human and half-illogical nature, had come to slowly and slightly pride himself on his abilities as Kirk’s reliable and steadfast First Officer. At least that, he reasoned, did not involve discussing anything untoward about his fellow officers aboard the Enterprise.
Instead of telling any of the women at the table that, instead he just sat up slightly straighter. “I believe I missed the question, Lieutenant. Would you care to repeat it for me?”
Shrugging, Ortegas’ smile didn’t diminish. “I was just asking your thoughts on our new Captain. He’s an interesting one for sure.”
“Not to mention one of the most infamous womanizers in the fleet.” Chapel joked, knowing full well that Captain Kirk’s reputation for womanizing was an exaggerated falsehood. If anything he showed more respect to the women of the crew than any Admiral they had ever encountered. It was an admirable quality.
Uhura smiled along with the others, sipping from a mug. “I think he’s great. Kirk has given me more important work than basic translations. I’ve barely any time for my own work.”
“Maybe that’ll get you to sleep more.” Ortegas teased, laughing. Uhura laughed along, clearly amused with this back and forth. Spock didn't quite understand the appeal of it himself, but he was comfortable in watching the exchanges before him unfold.
Then all three women turned to Spock expectantly, who froze. Who then subsequently panicked. “I find that the Captain has made an adequate replacement.”
“Shining praise, Mr. Spock.” A voice came from behind him said with a chuckle, sounding as if they were attempting to be professional. Turning slightly, he came face to face with the Captain, who was smiling, his eyes crinkled in amusement. “Soon enough I’ll earn the title of “extraordinary replacement”, just wait and see.”
With a characteristic eyebrow raise, Spock said nothing. Truth be told, Kirk had already reached being the most extraordinary replacement for Captain Pike. He was confident, calm in the face of danger and handled situations in ways that Spock would never would have thought to have guessed possible. Kirk had decidedly been Starfleet’s quote-unquote “Golden Boy” for a fair while now, and it only seemed that he could do very little wrong. It fascinated Spock to no end.
Kirk patted Spock on the shoulder. “I’m only teasing, Spock. I quite think that you make a pretty adequate First Officer myself.” He then grinned at the women around the two of them. “Wouldn’t you three agree?”
Grinning along, the three nodded their affirmations, Spock attempting to show his slight displeasure. He was aware that he was being illogical, annoyance was an Earthen emotion. He was a Vulcan . Perhaps he was allowed certain stints of illogical weakness, not that his glares did anything to cease this entire interaction.
Kirk then turned his dazzling smile back onto the poor Vulcan. “C’mon, Spock, we’ve got worlds to explore.”
“How delightful.” Spock drawled, in a tone that hopefully relayed that he was not as enthused at the prospect at yet another scientific survey of a M-Class planet that was completely derailed by cults, cultural differences, evil old technologies or any other being that hindered Spock in his data collection.
“Isn’t it?” Kirk has a certain dangerous twinkle to his eye. “And I’ve managed for Bones to join the landing party, so it’ll really be a party.”
With another raise of his eyebrow, Spock stood up and bid his friends goodbye with a simple nod. Walking away with Kirk he finally spoke. “I fail to see how festivities correlate with surveying idiosyncratic plant life.”
Laughing, the young Captain put his hand on Spock’s arm, the Vulcan ignoring how the most illogical feeling of fluttering occured with the contact. “Oh, Mr. Spock, I am glad you are my First Officer.”
“In turn, I am glad you are my Captain.” Was Spock’s simple response, unsure of how exactly to respond. “You have made the Enterprise very, vibrant, with your taking of command.”
Kirk’s eyes lit up, presumably in surprise or joy. Spock had often seen such a look in the eyes of those such as Chapel and Ortegas when something had gone right in their work and also recently in Uhura and her recent romance with Lieutenant Scott in Engineering. Seeing Kirk in such a way was pleasant, for the Captain that often looked harried or exhausted suddenly took on a youthful glow. It was as if he had aged backwards fifteen years. It was also not a bad look on the young Captain.
“Why, Mr. Spock, I believe that is the kindest thing you have said to me yet.” Kirk’s tone was soft, and Spock had grown up quite close to his human mother to know that Kirk’s tone was also bordering on fond.
“I am just relaying simple facts gained from observing the crew since you took up command.” Spock said, flushing slightly. He was attempting to not let his Captain know that he was more affected by his comments then he let on. Spock rather thought he was doing a good job at it.
The pair of them walked inside the transporter room, the automatic doors making the same monotonous whooshing sound that brought Spock solace on a ship that managed to get into new, fascinating and frustrating ideals more often than any other ship in the fleet. There were at least two security officers waiting on the transporter pad for them, a welcome relief to Spock. He remembered the distinct lack of security personnel on his away missions with the now-Admiral Pike, La’an often being the only legitimate security officers brought along.
Lieutenant Scott was waiting over by the transporter beam console, giving the pair an easy smile and a relaxed sort of gait about him. From beside him stood McCoy, who looked as if he was about to jab the nearest person with a hypospray. To Spock, the Doctor’s attitude and demeanor was nothing exactly new.
In fact, it had become just a simple part of new life on the Enterprise, with Dr. M’Benga taking less and less duties the ship’s surgeon had stepped into the role of Chief Medical. Doing so, McCoy had quickly established himself as the kind of doctor that those on board loathed to avoid, as the good doctor would actively recruit his nurses and his doctors to find those who had not stepped inside the medical bay when intended. Spock himself had not been on the receiving end of such hunts, however the Captain had been subject to many searches conducted by Nurse Chapel and McCoy himself.
Yet another affair made commonplace on the Enterprise.
Spock and McCoy made eye contact on the transporter, giving each other icy stares and cool nods.
“Doctor.”
“Spock.”
The Captain was practically vibrating from enthusiasm from either side of the two men, ignoring whatever frigid cordialities McCoy and Spock chose to give each other. All three men had become accustomed to the new and improved dynamic of the ship’s bridge crew, the trio becoming something tight knit and near impossible to break apart. With that closeness also bred what Spock knew was infamous around the ship; him and McCoy’s rivalry/discontempt with one another. The two men had realized somewhat instantly that the two agreed on practically nothing, fighting on the importance of emotion and logic. It amused Kirk to no end however, and he rarely put a stop to the bickering unless it was getting truly out of hand.
Instead of acknowledging his XO and CMO, Kirk shot his Chief Engineer a thumbs up and smiled. “Energize, Scotty.”
“Aye, sir.”
With a flash, the landing party appeared onto the surface of Duna VI. The planet’s floor seemed to be covered in greenish sand, soft to the touch and just compact enough that it would not pull any members of the landing party down to whatever the sand was sitting on. The greenery was odd, vibrant magentas, violets and maroons covered the twisting plants that towered over the party like a canopy. It was pleasant, if one could look past the extreme oddity of there being no signs of animal life anywhere.
Kirk did not seem plussed by this, instead instructing the security officers to scout ahead slightly, in case there were any native inhabitants of the planet that they needed to avoid. With Spock’s calculations there was a seventy-eight percent chance they indeed ran into a civilisation on this planet, with eighty percent of them either worshipping technology or being of technology themselves. Spock didn’t quite like those statistics personally, but it was illogical to ignore facts in their entirety and simplicity.
Spock had been using his tricorder to record the plant life when Kirk waved him over to show him a fascinating new planet discovery of his. With a slight sigh, Spock moved near instantly beside his Captain. Knowing Kirk, it was most logically something that would attempt to murder them. Spock couldn’t find it in himself to care much about logic in that moment, a near shocking fact to the Vulcan. He just moved and let Kirk guide him around aimlessly, holding up random plants for the science officer to scan with his tricorder.
Perhaps this trip would yield something positive after all, after all, nothing of note had happened just quite yet. Even the doctor had found nothing truly of note and had not yet been forced to beam up to tend to an injured officer.
It was peaceful, bordering on tranquil. Spock illogically wished for it to stay that way, and by the way it had been going so far, it seemed that it would.
─────⋅☾ ☽⋅─────
Spock could admit when he was wrong.
Unlike certain other members of the executive staff aboard the Enterprise, Spock could always admit when he had made an error in judgement. He attempted to do things in a logical manner and nothing was more illogical than to deny faults.
The science officer had clearly made an error in thinking that this expedition would yield far different results than previous expeditions before it. For now the two security officers they had had with them on the landing party were dead and sacrificed to the cavernous pit that the people of this planet worshipped like a God. Which only left Spock, McCoy and Kirk to find a way back to the ship and away from the civilisation attempting to sacrifice them for their “knowledge”.
McCoy and Kirk had their phasers in their hands looking over their shoulders, attempting to stun any member of this planet’s people, a group that named themselves the Scavins, and to keep them from throwing the spears they kept on their persons as weapons. Spock, however, preferred to not use phasers whenever unnecessary and instead of holding on prone to shoot, Spock kept his tricorder beside him and held it in place between his left hand and his hip. The Vulcan was attempting to find a way to shake off the unsavory characters they had found on Duna VI. With little success, the remaining landing party had been forced to run forward and attempt to make changes in their path whenever it seemed logical.
Kirk didn’t seem to waver from his enthusiasm, apparently finding this ordeal with the Scavin’s amusing in some way. “I told you this would be a party, Mr. Spock!” He exclaimed, shooting with expert precision.
“Captain, I fail to see how this refers back to your previous comment as we are actively being chased and have a two hundred to one chance of surviving.”
McCoy grit his teeth from beside Spock. “Dammit, Spock. Can you for once in your pointy-eared existence attempt to be, y’know, positive ?”
“You know as well as I, Doctor, that there is nothing logical in placing great hope in insurmountable odds.”
The doctor’s tone was cool. “So I do.”
“Cheer up, Bones!” Kirk laughed. “This is fine! We’ve beaten worse odds before, haven’t we, Mr. Spock.” Kirk and Spock made brief eye contact at Kirk’s last statement, Kirk’s eyes glimmering with amusement and something that Spock had little knowledge of. Kirk winked right before he looked back and went back to shooting the Scavin’s. Spock looked up ahead again only to come right in front of a cliff.
Luckily, both McCoy and Kirk noticed Spock’s halt and did the same, three pairs of boots perched on the ledge of a deadly drop that looked to be around one hundred and fifty feet. McCoy and Kirk kept shooting, however fruitless the endeavour may be, the Scavin’s advanced on them with growing haste. Both the doctor and the Vulcan noticed how the Captain’s eyes seemed to shift down to the pit before resuming his shooting and both could only imagine what was going on inside Kirk’s head.
“What should we do, Captain?” Asked Spock, with a raised and expectant eyebrow raise.
Kirk smiled, looking only slightly unsure. His eyes didn’t seem to reach Spock’s a surefire sign that Kirk was nervous and that he was about to, as his human friends say, bullshit his way out of this situation. “How do you feel about taking a bit of a swim?”
McCoy stared at Kirk in shock. “Are you crazy ? A drop like that would shatter practically every bone in our bodies!”
“Well, what do you suggest, Bones? That we let ourselves be sacrificed?” Kirk asked, tone attempting to be light. “We’d take a tumble down either way.” From beside him, McCoy angrily gumbled, shooting perhaps even more aggressively than before.
“Captain, there is a chance we could split up and run into the canopy.”
Waving a dismissive hand, Kirk shook his head, keeping one hand on his phaser and shooting. “That will be unnecessary, Spock. I’d like all my crewmembers on this planet to remain beside me.”
A silence enveloped the three of them, a clear consensus not reached and their time to argue and debate on their next course of action running out alarmingly fast. Then, almost as if the silence never had come, Kirk spoke with all the conviction of a man who had somehow discovered the secrets to the unknown of the universe.
“I’ve got an idea. There is, however, the possibility that it gets us killed.”
“Dammit Jim-”
Kirk rolled his tongue over his lips for a second and Spock knew this to be his bullshitting face, even more when instead of staring McCoy unflinchingly his gaze dropped. For that reason and that reason alone, Spock only felt slightly uneasy when Kirk reaffirmed that this plan was totally safe.
His tone was authoritative, as if he was trying to inspire the two men beside him. If it had been anyone other than Spock and McCoy perhaps it could have been used as a way to inspire crewmembers to go forward on illogical plans. Unfortunately for the Captain, it had no such effect. “We’ll live, Bones, sure of it.”
Snorting, Bones shook his head. “Whatever you say, Jim.”
Without another word, Kirk quickly shoved his phaser in Spock’s hand and fumbled out his communicator, opening the golden mesh and fiddling with the dials in order to regain contact with the Enterprise. It only took a minute to find the correct frequency but once the Captain had found it he wasted no time
“Kirk to Enterprise. Repeat, Kirk to Enterprise.”
“Enterprise, sir.” Uhura's voice came not even a moment later, sounding professional and bright all at the same time. Throughout the years Spock had known Uhura being able to be both professional and emotional without letting neither take full control over her. It was admirable and even now brought a sense of comfort to Spock. After all, there was a great chance the three of them were about to potentially perish, one was allowed a few moments of comfort.
Even now, it seemed that Uhura’s bright positivity did not just bring Spock a sense of ease as it did to both Kirk and McCoy, who both noticeably untensed. Kirk especially. “Uhura! I need you to tell Scotty to beam us up on our orders.”
“Affirmative, sir. Would you like me to transfer you to Engineering?”
Kirk nodded, as if Uhura could see it as well. Humans were rather illogical with their mannerisms. “That’d be appreciated, Uhura.”
There was a silence, and then the sound of a Scotsman filled Spock’s ears. “Captain!”
“Scotty! I need you to beam McCoy, Spock and I up. Preferably now.”
“Aye, sir. Give me a moment to lock onto ya.”
Glancing worriedly at the Scavin’s that were now only about one hundred paces away. “It’s now or never, Scotty.”
Huffing irritatedly, Scotty’s voice came again. “I’m an engineer, not a miracle worker.”
All three men watched as the Scavin’s were seconds away from skewering them, Scotty still hadn't made any new moves to beam them up. Without any warning at all, Kirk grabbed onto McCoy and Spock’s shirt sleeves and pulled them down with him. He still had his communicator on him and shouted into it. “Scotty! Beam us up!”
In a flash, the three remaining members of the landing party dematerialized from off a side of a cliff and into the waiting transporter room, all three crashing on the floor.
Picking himself up from off the ground, Spock dusted himself off and watched as Scotty helped both Kirk and McCoy to their feet. McCoy looked rather peevish, a scowl on his face. He directed this look at no one in particular, instead focusing on a random spot on the wall. For all of the Doctor’s general unpleasant attitudes, McCoy seemed to never truly direct that anger at any one person in particular.
Instead of getting snippy he just motioned for Kirk and Spock to follow him, presumably to the medical bay, throwing a gracious thank you to Lieutenant Scott for the rescue.
“It’s not trouble, sir.” The Chief Engineer exclaimed with a dismissive hand. “Just doing my job.”
Placing his hand on the Engineer’s shoulder, Kirk smiled. “Still, thank you Scotty. We wouldn’t have survived without a bit of your miracle working.”
Spock would be illogical to disagree.
─────⋅☾ ☽⋅─────
Chapel whistled from where she was scanning Spock, a small smile playing on her lips. “You’ve certainly had quite the adventure, Spock. Nothing a quick hypo shouldn’t fix though. You should start being more careful though, I can’t keep saving your ass.”
Nodding, Spock was only half-heartedly paying attention to the Nurse’s comments and jibes at the various injuries the science officer had sustained on Duna VI. Instead he was watching the Captain, who was being helped by McCoy. It did not take long for Chapel to take note of this, smirking all the while.
“Are you worrying about the new captain, Spock?” Chapel teased lightly, stepping back and examining her handiwork with yet another medical tricorder reading.
Stiffening, Spock returned his gaze to the Nurse in front of him. “It is logical. The Captain is in charge of the ship and it is my duty to assist him in any way possible.”
With her shoulders shaking in silent laughter, Chapel put the tricorder away. “I really don’t think that’s what the job description had in mind when it said “assist”. Kirk’ll be fine, he always pulls through somehow. It’s somewhat admirable.”
“I did not know you felt so highly of the Captain.” Spock said, a light teasing tone to his voice. He was able to banter back and forth with those he wished to, but rarely did so on the account of attempting to maintain a sense of decorum during his shift. Even now as a newly minted first officer he refrained from these light conversations except on his downtime, he was responsible for four hundred and twenty eight men crewmembers.
Chapel just punched his shoulder, the glint in her eyes showing that she knew Spock was messing with her. “Idiot. Now, get out of Medbay. I don’t want to see you here for at least a month. Is that understood?”
“Yes, Nurse.” Spock said with as much solemnity as he could possibly muster, which made Chapel snort. She turned away, but not before pointing a hand towards the door and flicking two fingers between her eyes and Spock, as if she was threatening him that she was going to watch him. Spock knew it was illogical, as Christine was quite possibly one of Spock’s best and oldest friends.
Spock had barely made his way out of the medical bay when Kirk caught up to him, with a nonchalant ease only obtained through practice. The Captain looked better than he had on the planet, Spock noticing that the bruise on Kirk’s cheek obtained on the planet was completely absent. The marvels of 23rd century medicine.
“Captain.” Spock acknowledged, inclining his head towards Kirk.
“Mr. Spock.” Greeted Kirk back, with an easy smile and relaxed gait. “That was quite an adventure wasn’t it?”
Nodding, Spock slowed his pace down half a step, mainly so he and Kirk could talk more before parting ways, only to see each other the next day for their next shift. He quite liked talking with the Captain, he was engaging and a truly intelligent partner to engage in conversation with.
“Affirmative, Captain. However, I would have preferred if our excursion was made more peaceful.”
Kirk raised his eyebrows, amusement radiating from him like the sun's rays. “Are you saying that our away missions are too exciting for you, Mr. Spock?”
Raising an eyebrow of his own, Spock met Kirk’s eyes fully. “On the contrary, Captain, I just simply wished to express my opinion.”
Whistling, Kirk looked stunned albeit still quite amused. “Opinion? From a Vulcan? Oh, Bones would have a field day with this.”
“I fail to see how Doctor McCoy relates to this conversation, Captain.”
Laughing, Kirk put his shoulder on Spock. “Forget I said anything, Spock. Now, I know we have to file reports about this mission, but I was curious to see if you’d like to play a game of chess in my quarters.”
Spock did not speak for a time, too stunned by the simple request to formulate a response. The Vulcan was aware of Kirk’s chess skill, as evident by the amount of games Spock had been witness to observing whenever the Captain was playing a crewmember in the rec room. Secretly, Spock had been wanting to play Kirk for a while, after all, the human had won every game Spock had seen him play. That in itself was fascinating.
In his silence, Kirk had gotten somewhat frazzled. “If you’re too busy that’s perfectly alright, Spock. I only offer the game to unwind after the… exciting day we’ve had.”
“I agree with your proposal.”
That seemed to startle Kirk, whose eyes widened in shock but yet held firm. He smiled not a moment later, the same easy smile the Captain always seemed to at least attempt to wear every time he was on the bridge. “Well then, Mr. Spock, I do hope you’re prepared to lose.”
“I do hope you are not too disappointed when you inevitably lose, Captain.”
“Why, Spock, if I didn’t know any better I’d say you’re oddly cocky.”
“I do not feel pride, Captain, I simply doubt that you possess the skills necessary to checkmate me. I have rarely been defeated.”
With another fond look, Kirk shook his head softly. “If you’re quite sure.”
Spock nodded. “I am.”
The pair stopped in front of Kirk’s quarters, the Captain pushing in the code to gain access to the inside. When the door finally opened, Kirk stepped aside, leading Spock inside first with a courteous hand. “Well, then. Why don’t we find out who’s correct?”
The Vulcan science officer gave Kirk his approximation of a smile. “I would like nothing more.”