Snippet 3b

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"I think it's completely and logically capable of being concluded.....that Spock and Lesh'ar are TOTALLY getting together."

Kirk set his glass down firmly on the table, looking around at the others around the Mess Table with a concluding nod. "I'd give 'em till the end of the year."

"I can't believe you're going to put a bet on two Vulcans getting together," Uhura said, giving him a blank look over her own drink. "I mean, they're Vulcans. Who says they'd even think that way about each other?"

"Because it's so freakin' OBVIOUS," Kirk said, glaring at the group. "I mean, dude, come on. We have ALL noticed it. Even you Uhura, don't deny it."

"But tha's just human speculation, laddie," Scotty reminded him carefully. "We don' even know tha' that's anythin' outta the ordinary."

"Oh yes we DO. And, like I said, QUIT denying it!" Kirk said, scowling around at them. "I have heard all of you, every single one of you, in SOME way, shape, or form, comment about the two of them."

"Maybe we were drunk," Uhura suggested offhandedly.

"Um. No. You were NOT. Right, Bones?" Kirk turned expectantly to the doctor beside him...only to find McCoy with his head down on the table, fast asleep. Kirk scowled, looking up slowly at Chekov. "WHAT did you give him?"

"Wodka?" Chekov said uncertainly, holding up a small...but very empty bottle. "...I 'sink he perhaps thought it vas vater..."

"Great," Kirk rolled his eyes. "Because he would SO agree with me. I mean - come on. Christine? Seriously."

Chapel looked up. "...what?"

"YOU have noticed," Kirk said, pointing a finger at her. "Because you're in love with both of them. You wouldn't be able to help it."

"With all due respect, Captain, NO."

"Well, I know two people we can definitely pull into this conversation." Kirk looked over his shoulder at a table behind them. "Hey! You! Klatts! Get over here!"

Christi and Mel looked up slowly from their table. Then, giving each other curious and very interested glances, they stood up and walked over to the table where their superior officers were seated.

"Now, you two do a lot of...observing around this ship," Kirk said, patting McCoy's back when the doctor gave a very audible snore. "We need you in on this."

"In on what, cap'm?" Scotty asked, looking quite confused.

"Laying out the evidence," Kirk said, smiling in satisfaction. "We've been talking about Spock and Lesh'ar. And - you know. How they're getting together and all that."

"Oh, are you?" Mel and Christi exchanged glances again, this time with huge smiles on their faces. They both turned back around afterward. "Well, can't say there isn't evidence for it," Mel said simply.

"Here we go," Uhura sighed, stirring up her drink again.

"Right! Exactly!" Kirk said, slapping a hand down on the table. "And with that, and with EVERYONE contributing...we shall begin to make our list."

-*-

Talking on the Bridge - Sometimes Without Actually Saying Anything

-

Kirk had begun to notice it. And really...it was sort of very noticeable.

Of all people on the Bridge, Spock and Lesh'ar definitely exchanged glances the most. Surpassing even Chekov and Sulu. And part of it was that they seemed to be able to communicate without saying anything. While others spoke, asked questions, or made comments, the two Vulcans simply turned their heads from their respective stations, locked eyes for a second or two, and then went back to work. Just like that.

It was absolutely unnerving and absolutely fascinating.

"It's like they share a brain wave," he commented to McCoy once, eyeing the two again - this time because Spock had stepped over to Lesh'ar's station to show him something he'd written up on a data PADD. "I mean, think of how much they're probably not saying right now, because all they have to do is look at each other...?"

"I think you're obsessed," McCoy said back, giving him a disgruntled look. "They're Vulcans. What do you expect?"

"Well, I don't know. You don't think it's unusual, though?" Kirk said, sounding disbelieving. "I mean, they're touch-telepaths, not glance-telepaths."

McCoy gave him a look.

"See, I can't read that, Bones. Only they can. It's weird."

~*~

Eating together

-

"Do you see zat zey alvays sit togezzer?" Chekov said in a low tone, pointing his fork conspiratorily across the Mess Hall as he spoke to Sulu at their own table. "Vhy do you zink zat is?"

"Maybe it's the same reason we eat together," Sulu said, taking another mouthful of food and an eager drink of his saki. "Maybe they just don't like eating with anyone else."

"I vonder vhat zey talk about," Chekov said, staring, slightly wide-eyed at the two Vulcans who were talking quietly to each other, eating their salads and drinking their tea. "...probably fascinating 'zings...like more nuclear equations..."

Sulu half-laughed. "You think that's fascinating?" he asked, smiling up at Chekov. "You want to join them? We can if you want..."

"Oh, no, I am fine," Chekov said, sounding a little embarrassed as he turned quickly back to his food. "Just...vondering, is all."

~*~

Extra Hands-on Treatment?

-

"All right, Mr. Spock, just remain still," Chapel said, finally able to breathe a sigh of relief when Spock was able to relax again. The pain had finally been drowned from his system by the medication McCoy had given him, and he could begin to breathe easily. "All right, now, we need to move you to the resting beds. I'll go get a wheelchair..."

"Unnecessary, nurse," Lesh'ar said gently, keeping his voice quiet so as not to disturb the near-doze Spock was falling into, now, with the help of the medication. He reached out, carefully and effortlessly lifting the other Vulcan off the bed and moving him toward the resting station. "Dr. McCoy, will you retrieve my bag from the left table, please?"

McCoy looked behind him and grabbed it, on his heels to help Chapel prepare the bed. "Make sure his head goes down gently," he directed, putting a hand under his head to help. "There."

"As long as he is able to sleep, now, he will be fine," Lesh'ar said, easing Spock gently down until he was lying comfortably on the bed, and produced two extra blankets from below the bio bed to drape over the other Vulcan's weary form. "His body will heal itself in the next 24 hours or so."

"We may need to move him back to the examination table soon," Chapel said carefully. "To check on all statuses of his vitals."

"Then fetch me when it is needed. Avoid the wheelchair," Lesh'ar said simply, hovering his tricorder along Spock's body for a moment. "We should not wake him if we can help it."

"Agreed," McCoy said, crossing his arms as he watched Lesh'ar work. "I'll call you when it's time to move him. You need to rest, Lesh'ar. Doctor's orders."

"I will be at my station," Lesh'ar said, giving McCoy a nod as he put the last of his tools away, and then started toward the other end of Sick Bay. "I shall notify you when I have completed my analysis of the readings."

"That's not what we call 'rest,'" McCoy said, his eyes following him as he left.

"But it is what I call rest, doctor," Lesh'ar said, before disappearing around the corner toward the other part of Sick Bay's research interior.

Chapel blinked.

~*~

Making Spock Smile

-

It was one of the most intriguing and...surprising things that Scotty had been privy to. He'd just happened to glance across the conference room at exactly the right moment, and he'd caught it.

Lesh'ar looked up from his PADD, slowly moved his gaze to McCoy, before leaning over toward Spock, and murmuring something in the other Vulcan's ear.

It was a near miss, but Scottie caught Spock's humored smile just before it disappeared at some statement of Kirk's that he didn't catch. McCoy responded with some irritable statement, and Spock raised an eyebrow at him. Was that...restraint? Was he trying not to smile at the grouchy doctor?

Scotty didn't end up realizing he was staring until Lesh'ar glanced over at him, and gave him a questioning look that made the Scotsman look away quickly, blushing beet red as the meeting finally began.

~*~

2:00 Report

-

"I will return shortly with the report, Captain."

Sulu glanced behind him as Spock left the Bridge. He frowned and turned to Chekov. "You know what I realized when I was on the Petorus? There's no 2:00 report. It's always a 12:00 report. Odd, right? So I did some research to see why he would choose 2:00, and you know what I found out?" He nodded conspiratorily. "It's Dr. McCoy's break."

Chekov blinked. "So...he is going to visit Dr. McCoy?"

Sulu gave him a blank look. "No, Chekov. Lesh'ar's in Sickbay as the reigning doctor! He can get a "report" from him instead of McCoy." he said, wiggling his eyebrows. "Quality time."

Chekov's eyes widened. "Ohhh!" he said, realization quickly dawning on him. He snickered. "Quality time indeed. I alvays vondered vhy Meester Spock chose 'zis time to go down 'zere! You zink he does it on purpose?"

Sulu nodded. "Oh I know he does. Why else would he choose 2:00? McCoy would have to sign it if he was there because he's the head doc!"

Chekov grinned. "So 2:00 is ze magic time for Meester Spock! Because he goes to see Dr. Lesh'ar and haff quality time vith him!"

Sulu gave Chekov an approving smile. "That's right, Mr. Chekov. That's right."

~*~