The next morning, Spock had the doctors, their patients, Lieutenant Chekov and Lieutenant Uhura report to the Auxiliary Bridge for the purposes of putting the night’s learning to a test. He chose to coach his wife himself, leaving the Captain to Dr. Han, Jilla to Dr. McCoy and Sulu to Chekov. It would be Uhura’s task to simulate normal Bridge procedures.

*****

“I know I know it all, but I still can’t make a decision like that!”

“James, have some…”

“What if I guess wrong? There’d be lives at stake!”

*****

“The data must be presented in some orderly fashion.”

“Why? I know what it says. So do you. I mean it’s not like you even really need an assistant. It’s a waste of time – and more than a little silly if you ask me.

*****

“You have to monitor the other functions, Mrs. Majiir… Mrs. Majiir… Mrs….”

“Fall into a crater, Doctor! I know what I’m doing!”

*****

“You’re not flying a needle you know.”

“I know. This is easier.”

“Mr. Sulu…”

“It is. Don’t look so sour, Chekov, I can handle it.”

*****

“Captains do not panic over the assignment of personnel to landing parties, James.”

*****

“Ruth, remain at the Science Station.”

“But the pretty one looks like he’s actually having fun.”

“Stay at your post, Miss Valley. That is an order.”

*****

“Screeching son of a beggar at a faulty circuit isn’t exactly Vulcan demeanor, little lady.”

*****

“You are expected to keep your eyes on your board or on the screen, not passing crewmembers, no matter how attractive they might be.”

“Jeez, lighten up! Aren’t you carrying that dour Russian thing a bit too far?”

*****

“I don't know what to do, Doctor, and you can’t expect me to.”

*****

“I’m bored, do you hear me, and with those ears you should, BORED!”

*****

“I AM NOT VULCAN!!”

*****

“What are you scowling at me for? I’m doing it right.”

“Yes, you are doing it right, but you are having too much fun.”

“Warp eight. Not bad, huh?”

*****

“Mr. Spock, will you tell her that I can’t take this kind of responsibility? What if I’m wrong?”

“Captain, that is seldom the case. You have excellent command instincts.”

“That’s what I’ve been telling you, James.”

*****

“There’s nothing to do here. Can we just go back to our cabin and you can teach me more about being your wife?”

“Ruth, this is not a proper time or place for…”

“I’ll keep her company. I’ve got this shit down solid.”

“Sulu, you are married!”

“Yeah. Shit.”

“Now Mrs. Majiir, there’s no need to…”

“He doesn’t CARE!”

“She’s crazy!”

“Jilla you must control your…

“I want my…!”

“Daddy. Oy, he’s right, she’s meshuginah.”

“I can’t decide this, I really can’t.

“All right, that’s enough! Valley, you have to follow orders, James, you have to be confident, Jilla, you have to be Vulcan and Sulu, you have to be conscientious! That’s it, the way it is, no further discussion or arguments or dissension, DO IT!”

“JESUS.”

“Yes’m.”

“Doctor, I’m trying.”

“Ca!”

“Why the hell is it called Valjiir anyway?”

Jade sighed. Both young women were seated on the deck in front of the engineering station on the Auxiliary Bridge. Spock had dismissed the other officers. He and McCoy were going to have a fairly intensive talk with James. Sulu, it was reluctantly admitted, would be able to handle himself at the helm and Lieutenant Chekov had promised he would curb the sixteen-year-old Lieutenant Commander’s more exuberant tendencies. It was Jade’s task to see if there was any hope at all that Valjiir would function.

“Valley-Majiir,” she explained to Ruth’s skeptical frown, “the best, most prolific design team in the Federation.”

“Her?” Valjiir asked together.

“Yes. You’ve seen the quasi-telepathic communication which is the hallmark of your usual working manner. You’ll be expected to demonstrate it.”

“On display…” Jilla snorted.

“…like some zoo animal!” Ruth finished indignantly.

"See, it’s working already,” Jade returned smoothly. “Ruth, keep your mind on what you’re doing. Jilla, stay controlled.”

Ruth gazed heavenward. “Do I need this aggravation?” she asked.

“I don’t like it either,” Jilla pouted, “but the sooner we begin the sooner we’ll be finished.”

“Look, Doc, logic!” Ruth said, her smile all teeth.

“Enough,” Jade told them both. “Get started.”

“And why wouldn’t you like it,” Ruth muttered. “I'm not twitchy.” The Antari sighed, turning her attention to the tools and equipment in front of her. “Okay, what is this junk?”

“Are you certain she’s intelligent?” Jilla asked Jade, her voice carrying questioning exasperation.

“What?!” Ruth burst out before Jade could respond.

“Well, anyone on a starship would know that ‘that junk’ is a main transporter panel,” Jilla replied tersely.

“Excuse me, Mrs. Perfect…”

“You’re the one who claims to know everything!”

“I do not!”

“That much is obvious, so one would think you’d be able to admit…”

“Doctor, if she’s going to insult me…”

“Insult you?” Jilla’s voice held a note of genuine concern. “I did not insult you!”

“Not much,” Ruth growled.

Jilla blinked. “How?”

“Saying I’m not intelligent enough to…”

“I did not, I simply asked Dr. Han if you were!”

“Yes, Jilla, she is,” Jade put in with, she thought, admirable patience. “Stay controlled.”

“I am,” the Indiian glared.

“And you’re gonna let her get away with…” Ruth snarled.

“You have to understand Indiian nature,” Jade explained. “For an Indiian, asking such a question truly is just that. She honestly didn’t mean it as a slur or dig at you.”

“Bets?”

“Fine,” Jade snapped. “Don’t believe me. Perhaps she’s right and you do think you know everything.”

Ruth’s jaw tightened, but Jade noticed a hint of chagrin coming into the purple eyes. “Let’s just go on,” Ruth said. She again looked over the equipment. “What are we supposed to do?”

“Fit the panel with a medical sensor for the new support belt monitors,” Jade replied.

“Oh.” Ruth brightened. “Okay, that’s easy enough.”

Ruth tinkered silently for several minutes. Jilla’s skin began to shimmer, then glow. Finally she snarled, “Doctor, does this need my participation?”

“Ruth,” Jade said. The Antari looked up. “Valjiir.”

After scowling, Ruth got up from the deck. “Right,” she said. “Your turn.”

“It’s hopeless!” Jilla shrieked. “She does not want to! She won’t try, just like him and everyone else! They’re all afraid of me and I don’t understand why they bombard me then lie about it then deny doing either!”

“And you’re nuts, Majiir!” Ruth shouted back.

“Ruth, calm down…” Jade began.

“Me!?” Ruth spun on the Indiian. “And I was so trying!”

“No you weren’t and you’re not now and I don’t know why you want me to believe you when you don’t really care!”

“Crazy, completely and totally twitchy…”

“Ruth, stop it!”

“I’ve had it! Forget this shit, I don't need the aggravation!”

“That was an order, Ruth…”

“Fuck that too, Han!”

Jade turned to the Indiian. “Jilla, she doesn’t understand…”

“Yes she does, and it is frightening her to…”

“SHUT UP!” Ruth screamed. “Han, shut her up!” The Antari fled the room and Jade started to prepare a sedative for Jilla.

“Doctor, what did I…?” the engineer began.

“There’s something I should have told you,” Jade replied wearily. “Humans…”

“Ruth is not Human,” Jilla interrupted. “She’s a half-breed.”

“What?” Jade asked, a little sharply.

Jilla drew back. “Half-breed,” she repeated.

“Jilla, that’s not a very polite term…” Jade began.

“It’s what she feels,” Jilla said, her tone bewildered.

“Really?” Jade mused, glancing at the door Ruth had just exited. She shook her head. “Nevertheless, people take offense at the term, whether they think it themselves or not, so say ‘hybrid.’”

“Why?”

Jade sighed. “Half-breed implies inferiority.”

“Does it? I didn’t mean…”

“I know, Jilla. Just don’t use it.” Jilla looked terribly confused, but she nodded an affirmative. “What I was about to say,” Jade went on, “is that Humans – and Ruth’s kind of hybrid – habitually lie about their emotions. They haven’t learned to face them and deal honestly with them. Indi is more advanced in that respect. So they deny what they feel and have built elaborate cultural rules to govern the lies. “Do you understand?”

“No,” Jilla replied. “But it seems very sad.”

Jilla sat at the Engineering station on the Bridge, with Scott standing over her. She was trying to keep from fidgeting because showing nervousness was not Vulcan. Humans habitually lie about their emotions, she repeated to herself. Humans habitually lie about their emotions. Humans habitually lie about their… they’re the crazy ones!

*****

Sulu was leaning back in his chair, pretending not to notice Jilla. He glanced at the man next to him and smiled pleasantly. The navigator scowled back. Sulu had been hoping that he’d be sharing the Helm with pretty Monique; instead he had to put up with dour, serious Pavel Chekov. And Chekov kept correcting his manners. Like insisting I say hello to crazy Jilla Majiir. I don’t want to say hello to her. I don’t even want to be around her. And he had to mention that I usually call her ‘hon.’ At this point, Sulu couldn’t imagine a person less deserving of such an endearment.

*****

If they’d just let me play with the library computer everything would be fine. Or better yet, let me stay home with my husband and learn all about being an attentive wife. But no, I have to monitor sensor readings – like that’s important when you’re out in the middle of fucking nowhere. And I’m supposed to monitor a chemistry experiment that oy god Daffy Gollub of all people is running. And to top it all off, they want me to make some ridiculous check of log entries. Busy work, nothing interesting or challenging. If this is the life of a Starfleet officer no wonder I was never interested.

She sighed, drumming her fingers on the Science Station console.

And Dr. Han’s ‘you have the attention span of a fruit fly, but try to do your best’ didn’t help.

*****

Jim sat in the con, sweating. This isn’t going to work, he told himself. He’d watched Spock at Command for nearly two hours, and in that time, the Vulcan had made hundreds of decisions, all of them with only a fraction of a second’s consideration. And I‘m supposed to be able to do that… all the time? Hell, I must be some man. Too bad I’m only sixteen now.

Spock stood behind the captain’s chair, flanked by Han and McCoy, and surveyed the entire Bridge. All appeared normal. If one did not know that Ruth seldom talked to herself while on the Bridge, he mused. Or that Sulu was actually capable of keeping his attention on his duty. Or that the captain didn’t always jump at the hiss of the turbolift door. Or that rilain liked being on the Bridge. He allowed himself a small sigh. It would have to do, With less than an hour until the delegation’s arrival, there was nothing else to do. He would have to find some way to prevent the Valjiir demonstration, which Dr. Han had assured him would result in a disaster on the scale usually associated with Commodore Calvin. Were he a superstitious man – which, of course, he was not – he could’ve easily accepted the rest of Fleet’s judgment that Calvin was a jinx.

Vulcan hearing picked up every word spoken on the Bridge:

“Sulu, you should not stare at every woman who comes onto the Bridge,” Chekov was admonishing.

“Lass, you’re doin’ fine, just stay calm now,” Scott encouraged.

“This is the most fun I’ve had since my last class with Daystrom,” Ruth muttered.

“Doctor, I just wish I could remember…” Jim murmured.

The sounds of the Bridge were suddenly blanked out as Spock’s thoughts stopped. There was something he was missing. The nervousness, the impatient energy of the four impaired officers was hauntingly familiar. It forced painful, panicked memory to the surface… trembling hands, confusion, fear… Ruth!

What the…!

Forgive me, I do not intend intrusion. Spock quickly withdrew, letting Ruth’s telepathic shielding return. Cordrazine. Riley, DuBois, the mind-sifter. Oedipus. She can cure mental aberrations. I had not considered it because she has not. Was she so selfish at sixteen? No, so frightened. No matter, she is twenty-five now.

“Ruth,” he said aloud.

She raised her head from where she had suddenly found something absorbingly interesting, her eyes darting around without any motion of her head. “Uh oh,” she replied. Spock stepped toward her.

“While Dr. Han explained why you could not cure yourself,” Spock began quietly, urgently, “You are capable of curing the others. If you begin now, there is a chance…”

“You’re wrong,” Ruth said tightly. “Besides, there’s nothing wrong with us, except for…”

“I am not!” came from Jilla and Sulu mumbled something which could have been “twitchy.” Spock ignored them both.

“I am not wrong. And you are at the least capable of making the attempt.”

Ruth took a deep breath. “I could,” she said, “if I could. But I can’t. So I can’t.”

“What?” Jim said at the same time as Spock’s.

“I beg your pardon?”

“Ruth, you can, and you know it,” Jade interjected.

“If I could, Doctor, I could. But I can’t…”

“So I can’t,” McCoy mumbled. “And she wondered why I thought she was a sentient butterfly.”

“My wife,” Spock said gently, “you are mistaken in your belief that you cannot heal others.”

“No, I’m not,” Ruth nearly growled, then abruptly went on. “And anyway, this is psychological and I don’t do that.”

“On the contrary, Ruth,” Spock countered. “You do. You have.”

“Yeah, well, I don’t remember,” the Antari stated with stubborn finality, “so you’re shit out of luck.”

Spock reached past her to the computer controls, and she recoiled violently. Without thought, he sent a reassuring mental caress to her temple, and to his surprise, felt her greedily latching on to the contact. He held the touch as he rapidly programmed the library playback. “Perhaps this will refresh your memory,” he murmured softly to her, and gestured to the hooded viewer. Ruth glanced nervously at him. “Please, dei’larr’ei,” he murmured, she swallowed, her eyes moistening, then gritted her teeth and bent over the small screen.

Because she still refused to allow him to completely withdraw from her, Spock heard her thoughts as if they were his own:

I’ve never heard of Jack the Ripper, or Captain Thompson, or King Oedipus, but apparently that’s who McCoy and Jim and – Spock!

I am whole, Ruth, as are you. Please continue.

So all I had to do was convince you that’s not who you really were? Simple enough, I guess. Mind-sifters…?

Klingon torture and interrogation devices.

Nasty Klingons! Kevin Riley – he’s kinda cute..

My wife…

Oops. Sorry. And Monique DuBois and crazy Jilla? No wonder she gets so upset at the mention.

She is not insane, Ruth.

Yeah, so says you. And speaking of crazy…

Yes. Cordrazine addiction.

I’m so very sorry.

No need. You cured that as well.

Is that why you married me?

No.

So says you.

Shall I tell you why, dei’larr’ei?

Whither thou goest I will go, huh?

Spock smiled at her.

A few moment later, Ruth raised her head, but refused to look at Spock. “Yeah, well,” she said, clearing her throat, “that’s all very interesting, I guess, but I…”

“You can do it?” Jim interrupted, staring at her. Ruth hit the hood of the viewer.

“This says I can, but…”

Jim got up out of the con, walking over to her. “Ruth, I’ve lost twenty-four years. That’s almost as long as you’ve been alive. If you can give that back…”

“I don’t know…”

“You have to try!”

“No I don’t!” Ruth snapped. Spock noted that she was trying not to look away from the incredulousness in Jim’s hazel eyes.

“You won’t try,” he said. “You won’t even try. If you failed, I could understand, but to not even try? What kind of person are you? Where’s your compassion? Where would we be, any of us, if all we cared about was ourselves? There are hardships and trials in every relationship, be it friend or shipmate or husband and wife, but we have to work together to work them out. It’s all we have! Don’t you see that? We have to help each other, give what we can or we’re no better than beasts! We have to try, maybe to fail, but the trying… THAT'S what’s important, that's where humanity lies. That’s what brought us all to the stars, what made the dream of the Federation a reality, why all these different races are here on the Bridge together. Because we tried, and we keep on trying. Ruth, don’t you understand?” He had taken her shoulders, his expression open and earnest and pleading. As his voice stopped, she nearly shrieked.

“All right, leave me alone, I’ll do it!” Jim let go of her, flushing with sudden awareness of what he’d done. Ruth took a deep breath. “Jim, I said I’ll do it, I’ll try. Okay?”

“Thank you,” he mumbled sheepishly. Spock noted but didn’t comment on McCoy’s grin and bouncing approval, or at Jade’s casual inspection of her fingernails as she leaned against the Communications station. As for himself, The First Officer folded his arms in gratified satisfaction.

“I didn’t know he could do that at sixteen,” McCoy confided to Jade.

“A most precocious child,” Jade returned.

Uhura suddenly turned from her station.

“Mr. Spock, Commodore Calvin just requested permission to come aboard,” she said in rather chagrinned surprise.

Spock regarded her, eyebrows lowering at the unexpected disclosure. He then glanced at the main screen which plainly showed the diplomatic transport at the Enterprise’s starboard flank. He gaze snapped to the Helm, where Sulu was glancing questionably at Chekov. The navigator was a bright red and lowered his head guiltily.

“Are we in trouble?” Sulu whispered.

“Yes, Sulu, big trouble,” Chekov murmured.

“Lieutenant Chekov?” Spock asked expectantly.

“I’m sorry sir, it won’t happen again sir,” Chekov answered briskly.

“See that it doesn’t. Mr. Sulu, pay attention to your duty, not Lieutenant Uhura’s legs.”

Sulu turned crimson at McCoy’s chuckle, and Spock faced Jim.

“Captain, it is customary for you to greet our guests in the shuttle bay.”

“Oh. Right,” Jim said. “Uh, then, you’ll come with me?”

“Yes, Captain. Miss Uhura, inform the transport we are ready to receive them. Mrs. Majiir, inform the shuttle bay. Mr. Sulu, open shuttle bay doors.”

“Aye, sir,” the three officers said, and Spock left the Bridge, hoping Ruth would be able to cure at least one of the others before the Et’Rasenn delegation reached the Bridge.

The greeting ceremonies went well. Jim was hesitant, but the delegation took it as diplomatic courtesy. He managed to cover his non-recognition of Commodore Calvin as diplomatic formality as well. The Et’Rasenn were anxious to see a Federation heavy cruiser’s Bridge, and the Terran guide, Miss Kinsai, seemed to know her job well enough to prevent any of the myriad of inadvertent accidents possible with civilians on a working ship. Spock carefully signaled to Jim that this would be permissible, and the captain gallantly led the delegation to the turbolift.

The lift door opened on the Bridge to noisy confusion. Ruth was protesting that “such things take time and privacy, Doctor!” Jilla asserted, “She’s frightened, Dr. Han!” and Sulu wondered uneasily, “how do you know?” McCoy was hovering over the helmsman, while Scott was physically holding Jilla in her seat.

“Uh, this is the Bridge,” Jim murmured, and Spock saw Uhura shaking her head as if to deny it. Calvin glanced uneasily at Jim, who didn’t notice, and Chekov was stiff, silent, and apparently wishing himself invisible. Jade turned at Jim’s voice, reddened slightly, then cleared her throat.

“Commodore Calvin, how nice to see you again,” she said, and the Bridge fell abruptly silent.

“Dr. Han,” Calvin acknowledged, and stepped aside for the delegation to hear crew introductions. Spock took a step toward the Science Station, but halted as the silence was broken by Sulu’s voice; awed, confused, grateful, and delighted:

“Stephanie?”

This is not possible, Spock told himself as he turned. Sulu was staring at Miss Kinsai, his smile growing as she moved toward him, her own eyes sparkling with memory.

“Lieutenant Commander,” she said, “I didn’t know if you’d remember me.”

“How could I possibly forget you, Steph?” Sulu murmured.

“So that’s Stephanie,” Jade said disapprovingly.

“I was right,” McCoy replied. “It was a better question.”

“The Stephanie?” Jim asked, and Ruth started to snicker.

Sulu stood from his chair, looking at Miss Kinsai with hungry delight as she flushed and said, teasingly, “Carl says hello.”

A sudden, nova-bright glow and Scott’s tense, “Now lass…” turned Spock’s attention to the Engineering Station as Jilla rose from her seat, growling, lividly angry, grey eyes burning with possessiveness and jealous fury.

“Miss, I think you’d best…” Scott began to Kinsai.

Chekov grumbled, “You’re married. Wasn’t LiLing enough?”

Sulu spun toward the navigator. “I know I’m married and who the fuck is LiLing?!” he demanded. Jade rushed to the Helm.

“Sulu, sit down and shut up,” she ordered.

“The whore you threw Jilla out of your quarters for!” Ruth screeched in vehement answer.

“Valley, shut up!” Jade shouted at her.

Before Spock could enter the fray, Jim’s voice rang out, “Doctor, you don’t give orders on my Bridge!”

Jade’s mouth snapped closed as she stared at Jim. Finally she managed, “Yes, Captain.”

“It’s coming back,” McCoy murmured to Spock.

“Yes, Doctor,” Spock replied, “but do they know it?”

Calvin nonchalantly made his way to the con. “Jim, what’s going on here?” he asked uneasily.

Jim shot a panicked glance at Spock, then snapped his attention to the turbolift as it hissed open. “Commodore,” The Vulcan began, and Janice Rand stepped toward him, holding a statboard.

“Sir,” she said.

Jim took the board from her, “Go on, Spock,” he said, and signed the report with brisk efficiency. Rand stared at him as he handed it back to her, and he smiled.

She glanced quickly at Spock, who nodded once. She blinked as Calvin said, “An explanation, please?”

Uhura suddenly let out a cry as a loud zapping noise and a shower of sparks flew from the Communications console. Everyone on the Bridge turned and Ruth’s voice said, “Jilla, get…” on top of Jilla’s “… it, Mr. Scott, coming, Ruth.” The two women met behind the con as McCoy helped Uhura to her feet.

“Oy geveult, the whole thing…”

“… must bypass the…”

“…put out the…”

“I will extinguish it, there is no need for…”

“Okay, I’ll cross-wire to…”

“…if you hold it there…”

“…just pull the…”

“…circuit is destroyed, we must…”

”…got it. Ready?”

“That will hold, yes.”

Grey and purple eyes turned to Jim. “Repairs completed, sir,” they said together.

The Et’Rasenn delegation broke into spontaneous applause. Ruth and Jilla stared at each other as Calvin clapped a hearty hand to Jim’s shoulder. “Jim, you son of a – you staged this?” he cried delightedly.

Jim cocked his head with a chagrinned shrug as Spock said, “We were aware the Et’Rasenn are not easily impressed.”

The Et’Rasenn were speaking excitedly among themselves in their own language. Miss Kinsai smiled as she turned from them,

“Wonderful, Captain!” she said. “To be able to run such an efficient ship under such trying conditions… it’s very impressive. The delegates are certainly favorably inclined. I’m sure the Federation has gained a strong proponent today.”

“What did we do?” Jilla whispered to Ruth.

“I don’t know,” Ruth whispered back. “Just smile.”

“I’m not supposed to smile.”

“Okay, you nod, I’ll smile.”

Jilla nodded. Ruth smiled. Both edged back to their stations. Scott grinned a ‘good work, lass’ at Jilla. Spock sent Ruth warm mental commendations on her quick action. Looks of puzzled uncertainty replaced the confusion in slate and violet eyes and both women took their seats lost in thought.

Sulu had been watching Miss Kinsai until Jilla had moved to the Communications Station. His eyes, both concern and pride shining in them, had stayed riveted on the Indiian the entire time Valjiir had been working. Now he took his gaze from the silver beauty, skill and grace, staring thoughtfully at the Helm.

“Commodore,” Spock said, “perhaps the delegates would enjoy a tour of the rest of the ship?”

“Miss Kinsai?” Calvin asked.

Another quick conference with the Et’Rasenn, and she nodded to him. “Yes, Commodore, they’re quite anxious.” She looked expectantly to Jim. He raised his head.

“Of course, Spock, if you’d be so kind…” he said distractedly.

“Certainly, Captain,” Spock nodded, then said carefully, softly, “Jim…?

Jim grinned self-consciously, deliberately looking away from the Vulcan. “Yes, Mr. Spock?”

Spock’s eyes closed briefly with the flicker of a smile. “Nothing – Captain.” He nodded once in Jade’s direction, then led a pleased Calvin and delegation to the turbolift.

“Sulu, will I see you later?” Miss Kinsai asked.

The helmsman looked up. “Uh – of course, it’s been a long time,” he said, then, with a glance at Jilla, added, “Perhaps you could join my wife and me for dinner.”

Kinsai’s expression was clearly crestfallen, but she smiled diplomatically. “Certainly, Lieutenant Commander,” she said, and left the Bridge.

“Sorry, Steph, I’m married now,” Sulu murmured under his breath.

Chekov grinned at him.

“Well,” McCoy said cheerfully, “How are we all feeling?”

Four pairs of eyes turned to him, then closed as their owners gave various indications of embarrassment and chagrin. “Better, I see,” the doctor cackled with a glance at Jade.

“Ages, please?” Jade asked.

“Twenty-five,” Ruth groaned. “Jilla, turn it off.”

“Twenty-seven,” Sulu mumbled.

“Twenty-seven standard years,” Jilla said after taking a deep, calming breath.

“Thirty-nine,” Jim stated. “You tried to cheat me out of a year, Doctor.”

“Captain, permission to leave the Bridge?” Sulu began.

“Yes, Mr. Sulu,” he said, “and I’ll get off the Bridge myself as soon a Spock gets back.”

Sulu, Jilla and Ruth got up and headed for the turbolift.

“I’ll see you all in Sickbay,” Jade called sternly.

“And I’ll make sure they get there,” McCoy beamed and moved quickly to join them.

“Bones, you’re a womprat,” Ruth grumbled. “Which is better than what Han is.”

“Oh? Jade said mildly.

Ruth bared her teeth. “Even at sixteen I was a doctor, Doctor.”

“Yes, I…”

“Call me a fruit fly again and you’ll need one.”

Jade hid her smile. “So noted, Doctor.”

As the lift door closed, a quiet, calm voice asked, “Stephanie?”

Jim chuckled to himself as Jade turned to him. “I’ll want you in Sickbay too, Captain.”

“No need, Doctor,” Jim replied, then, his eyes started twinkling. “Or can I still call you Jade?”

“I’m serious, Captain.”

“So am I.”

“James, I need to make a medical evaluation...”

“You didn’t answer my question and I’m fine.”

“Let me be the judge of that. I am the doctor.”

Jim grinned, an arresting man’s smile with just a touch of boyish charm and exuberance. “Yes,” he said. “What a shame.”

Jade flushed deeply, and turned toward the turbolift. “Sickbay, Captain,” she called over her shoulder, and Jim settled back in the con.

“Mr. Chekov, where are we?” he asked. “And Uhura, get Spock back up here. I’ve had a long day.”

The End