Title: Doctor's Logs 24
Author: Istannor
Series: TOS
Part: 1/1
Rating: [PG 13]
Codes: 
Summary: McCoy is tested.

Disclaimer: These are the characters of Paramount and
Viacom, they own them I only check 'em out from the library.
I promise to bring 'em back.



Doctor's Logs 24


They had us go pick up a diplomat three days ago. We
intercepted the light cruiser, the Aphrodite, and the
passenger transport was completed without any problems. 

I couldn't put my finger on it, but something wasn't right
about the whole thing. First and foremost, I could have
sworn that Jim and the Ambassador knew each other from
before. But it was obvious that they didn't want anyone else
to know that. I couldn't think of any reason why Jim
wouldn't want Spock and me to know one of his old friends,
or enemies. I was pretty sure she wasn't an enemy. 

Jim is pretty obvious about identifying enemies. His back
gets really straight and his muscles tense like he's about
to jump, then, he relaxes. I used to think his relaxation
phase was because he had decided not to do anything. Now I
know it's because he can move faster in any direction, if
he's relaxed.

She was an older woman, dark brown-skinned, gray eyes, curly
hair, tall and thin, and her name was Jean Little. I'm not
sure what made me think they knew each other, but I couldn't
get rid of that itch.

She was pleasant enough, open, friendly, in other words,
very unusual for an Ambassador.

Jim was very polite and introduced her to everyone along
with her party. Nothing happened that was the least little
bit suspicious for the entire first two days it took us to
transport them to the closest Starbase. 

The good news was that we had a three-day leave scheduled
once we got to the Starbase  and there was nothing wrong
with that. There's nothing ever wrong with having a
three-day leave.

So why I was I on edge about the whole thing? I think it's
because I saw a little fear in my Captain's eyes when he
looked at the woman on the transporter platform. It was
brief, I mean the barest of milliseconds, but it was real.
What was he afraid of? Who was she really?

I knew that she and Jim were spending a lot of time together
in Jim's cabin. She wasn't  too old for Jim to have seduced,
and she looked good enough for him to have gone after, but I
doubted it. I thought it was something else. I thought it
had something to do with what Sam told us. I didn't know if
I should ask him or not, because Jim still hadn't shared
anything with us about Sam's revelation. Jim just acted as
if it never happened.

Good glory, I wanted to know the truth, but I preferred
keeping my friend to learning his secrets. So, I didn't ask.

Fate had other plans for us all. Let me tell you what
happened. 

I was walking down the corridor past Jim and Spock's cabin.
I have no idea why I was doing that, either. I thought I had
just exited the lift on the wrong level. I decided to go
visit Jim, since I was near his cabin. In truth, I wanted to
ask him about the Ambassador. 

Jim never locks his door. 

I walked in and I could swear I came in the nick of time to
stop Spock from attacking Jean Little. Jim was huddled over
on the side of his bed, and Spock was standing in front of
the Ambassador radiating the most deadly aura of violence I
have ever seen from him. 

She was standing absolutely still with this really strange
but peaceful look on her face.  She turned to me, smiled,
nodded once and said, "You both will do just fine." Then she
left.

I turned to Spock and asked him what the hell was going on.
He said he had no idea, but he had been next door and heard
Jim call him. He ran in and found her leaning over Jim and
he looked to be in pain. Spock pulled her away and was going
to call security, but Jim ordered Spock to leave her alone. 

Jim didn't look okay. He looked like he was going to barf.
He did just that. We both helped him to the fresher where he
worshipped earl, for about five minutes. Spock had to almost
carry him back to his bed. 

Well, needless to say, I had enough. I demanded to know what
the hell was going on. Jim waved at me weakly and said: "I
passed. I get to live and you both get to stay with me."

I was floored. Spock had to ask the next question because I
was speechless. "Jim, who was she and why was she hurting
you? What does this mean?"

Jim was almost cross-eyed by now. Fatigue, nausea, and God
knows what else was pulling him down into unconsciousness.
"She is Chosen, an Old One. She wasn't hurting me...testing
me. Making sure I was still sane...not  a danger. I didn't
call Bones, I didn't call you, Spock. I Needed you. You both
came. We succeeded.  I live." He passed out. 

Spock and I looked at each other and I think both of us
suddenly realized that this was serious.  Whatever Jim was,
it was for real, and dangerous. I left to get some meds and
brought them back to inject them into my friend. Spock was
sitting on the edge of Jim's bed, watching him sleep. 

I was scared then and I'm scared now. Don't ask me why I
haven't run straight for Starfleet Command. I would never
betray Jim. 

When Jim woke up, all he told us was, Sam had picked well.
Then he went back to sleep. That will have to do for the
time being. 

I saw the Ambassador the next day. She came into the
sickbay, as if nothing had happened. She sat down and smiled
at me again. "You are curious, I suppose, as to why I am
here and who I am." 

What do you think I said? "Hell, yes."

"James Kirk is not quite what he seems to be." I knew that,
but before I could say something stupid, she held up her
hand. " I am James Kirk's Cousin, by blood. I was sent to
see who he was, or who he had become over the years. We..."
She nodded her head at that word, " have a requirement to
make sure that he remains...intact, sane, anchored. Do you
understand? " No, I didn't and I told her so.

"He requires...no, Needs you and Spock at his side. You
assist him to control his more primitive urges. Sam has told
us that he has had a conversation with you. Has Jim told you
who we are?" I shook my head, no.

"Then I leave that to him. Suffice it to say, you both are a
very stabilizing influence on my cousin. He appreciates your
humanity and Mr. Spock's brilliance and integrity. I do
believe he is learning to love you both. Together, you may
be enough."

"Enough for what?" I asked.

"Enough to assure his continued existence." She rose to
leave.

"What would you have done if you had not been satisfied with
your visit with him?"

She stopped, but she didn't turn to face me. "I would have
ordered him to kill himself." She said that like she was
reading a shopping list. 

She scared me, and my fear makes me mad, so I hollered
back at her. "What makes you think he would do it?"

"Because duty is all he knows." She was almost at the
door, but at the last moment, she turned and gave me a gentle
smile. "Duty is all our entire family knows. "

"How can you just casually say you would kill your own
family?"

"He is my family and I care for him more than you can
possibly understand. His death would be an act of 
self-defense, Doctor, in the defense of all humanity. I would 
mourn him, but the Federation would be safe." She left and 
I was still completely in the dark.

I couldn't sleep all night long.
 
The next day, we were at Starbase 9 and ready to transport
Ambassador Little and her entourage down. We had a few
things to do onboard before we got to take shoreleave.

I stared at Jean Little and Jim the whole time we stood in
the transporter room. Spock was watching them also. I bet he
thinks the same thing I do. The only good thing I have to
say about the whole thing is when we were saying goodbye to
her and her party in the transporter room, she leaned
forward and kissed Jim on each cheek, and then on his
forehead. He smiled and hugged her. He left the transporter
room after she had beamed down and went straight back to his
cabin.

Spock and I somehow both ended up in Jim's cabin looking at
him like two lost souls. Spock broke the ice. "Jim, are you
ready to tell us what that was all about?"

"Not today, later, I promise. Right now, I just want to
forget it happened." He turned and smiled one of those
smiles at us, and I guess we both turned into wimps. We both
left as ignorant as we had arrived. 

I don't know what the hell is going on with my Captain, but
I guarantee you I will find out.

I'm going to put that thought aside for now and carry myself
down to the Starbase with my friend. We're going to have
some fun and I'm going to find some wonderful woman to spend
some time with. It seems my friend in engineering has found
someone else to spend her nights with. There are no hard
feelings. It wasn't like we were going to get married, or
anything, and it was fun while it lasted.

As for Jim, I am not letting him weasel his way out of
telling me the whole truth and nothing but the truth. But,
first, I'm going to go get laid.

End Log