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Title: Simple Logic
Author: T'Bitch (kiwisama@yahoo.com)
Word Count: 599
Series: TOS
Rating: G for implied NOTHING
Summary: a brief story inspired by some of the things
I've been reading lately. An outsider talks a little
about life on the Enterprise.
Author's notes:
Nora is, for those of you keeping count, half Betazoid
and half Vulcan. An interesting combination.
Personally I find it plausible only because I think
Betazoids will probably sleep with anything that
moves. Well maybe not anything, but most things.
Even Riker.
But if you want to talk about someone with a messed up
home life, I think Nora's your girl. Very emotional
mother, very conservative logical father. I don't
know if she'll come back later or not. I've grown
kind of fond of her by now though.
cheers,
T'Bitch
And do let me know if you like it, because I feel sort
of stupid about it right now.
***
I knew before anyone else, with the exception of the
parties involved, of course.
Perhaps I should introduce myself. My name is Nora
and I am a doctor on board the starship Enterprise.
The Enterprise, like all federation vessels, runs
three eight-hour shifts. I generally work gamma
shift, from midnight until eight in the morning,
although at the point in time I am referring to
M'Benga was on a leave of absence so Dr. McCoy and I
were splitting beta shift between us. Twelve hour
shifts aren't as bad as they sound, really. Most of
it is just sitting around, waiting for something to
happen. Although when it does happen, look out.
The story goes like this:
I arrived for my shift at eight in the evening and bid
goodnight to Doctor McCoy. There were a few patients
in sickbay at the time, so I made rounds and checked
on them. Around nine-thirty I sat down to do some
paperwork and check my messages. Most of them were
insignificant - an electronic journal I subscribe to,
a letter from my brother. And a message from the
computer stating that Lieutenant-Commander Spock had
been transferred to my service under the authorization
of McCoy.
Strange. As chief medical officer, McCoy prided
himself on taking care of the officers and taking good
care indeed. Even being part Vulcan myself, I
couldn't match him for intuition when it came to
diagnosing the second-in-command. And while Spock and
I maintained a certain respectful friendship and I
knew he held my medical talents in some esteem, he had
never seemed to express dissatisfaction with the care
he received from the other doctor, nor asked me to
check him over.
In fact, I reflected, McCoy was about the only person
who could convince Spock to come in for his checkups.
Curious.
I made a note to ask about it. Then the red alert
went off and I was distracted for a while.
Around seven in the morning I shooed the captain out
and sat down to catch my breath. Dr. McCoy waltzed in
at eight exactly, cheerful, bright-eyed, and
bushy-tailed. "Busy night, Nora? You look tired."
"You could say that. The work is never done."
"Too true." He laughed to himself and took his coffee
into his office. A moment later I remembered my
question.
"Dr. McCoy?" He looked up at me as I leaned against
the doorframe. "Why has Mr. Spock been moved to my
service?"
"Has he been?"
"Under your authorization."
"Do tell." McCoy looked innocent, which meant he knew
exactly what I was talking about.
I sighed loudly.
"I believe he and I discussed it and we decided he
would be better off under your care."
It took me a moment to decide what my next line should
be. "Flatterer. You two had some sort of major
fight, didn't you. He won't come anywhere near you, I
bet."
"For someone who's part Betazoid you're not very
perceptive," he chuckled to himself. "Get some
sleep."
Then I knew for certain what was going on. Before I
went to bed I messaged Sulu and put in my bet.
Months later when it all broke, they asked me how I
knew. I just smiled and said I couldn't tell them.
But really-
One thing you learn in med school is that it is not a
good idea to take care of people who you're really
close to. It makes it very easy to lose your
objectivity and make a mistake, and mistakes in
medicine aren't good.
That's why Spock wound up on my service.
Simple logic.
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