Consequences
Title: Consequences
Author: Cyloran
Fandom: Star Trek: TOS
Character: McCoy, Kirk
Prompt: 52. Bending the Rules
Rating: G
Words: 421
Disclaimer: Not mine but I can dream; property of the Great Bird of the Galaxy.
Author's Notes: Takes place immediately after The Empath. Thanks in part to a plot bunny sent my way by syredronning.
"You wanted to see me, Jim?" said McCoy as the door to Kirk's private quarters closed behind him.
"I did." Kirk rose from his desk, his expression grim. "Explain yourself."
"I beg your pardon?"
"Your conduct on the planet, Doctor," snapped Kirk. "Explain."
McCoy stiffened, brought up short by the tone of reprimand. "What conduct would that be, Captain?" he asked warily.
"Insubordination." Kirk stepped around the desk to confront his Chief Medical Officer.
"Insubordination?" he demanded, incredulous. "What the devil--?"
"You refused a direct order from a superior officer and then proceeded to assault that officer and render him unconscious. Do you deny the charges?"
Posture rigid, McCoy fixed his gaze over Kirk's shoulder and addressed the bulkhead wall. "No Sir, I do not," he replied tersely.
"Insubordination and mutiny are court martial offenses under Starfleet regulations. Add assault and you could be facing time in a penal colony."
McCoy felt as if he'd been hit with phaser stun. Court martial? Prison? Would Jim do that to him?
Yes, he would, McCoy answered himself. Kirk was a starship captain; the best in the fleet. There were some things he couldn't overlook, no matter the circumstances.
"Am I being formally charged, Captain?" he asked the bulkhead.
"Should you be, Doctor?"
"As the injured parties, I imagine that depends on you and Mr. Spock." McCoy's gaze briefly shifted back to Kirk, blue eyes bright with anger and injury. "I don't regret my actions. But I do regret the deception." The Vians had left him very little choice in that regard.
"Given the extraordinary circumstances, I'm inclined to dismiss the charges of insubordination and assault." Kirk's tone sharpened. "But you jeopardized the Enterprise and her entire crew, Doctor, and that I will not tolerate."
"How in blazes did I do that?" demanded McCoy, outraged. "She wasn't even in the planet's orbit!"
"By putting the life of her chief medical officer at risk, that's how!" Kirk raised his hand, fingers clenched in a fist so tight the knuckles shone white, and slammed it into the bulkhead. "DAMMIT, Bones! What in HELL were you thinking down there?"
"That the Enterprise needs her Captain," snapped McCoy. "Anyone can be the ship's medical officer. M'Benga, Noel, hell, even Christine could fill my boots! But there's no one in this galaxy or any other that can replace James T. Kirk. Or Mr. Spock."
"That's where you're wrong, Doctor. The Enterprise needs you." Kirk uncurled his fist and dropped his hand on McCoy's shoulder, gripping hard. "I need you."
Author: Cyloran
Fandom: Star Trek: TOS
Character: McCoy, Kirk
Prompt: 52. Bending the Rules
Rating: G
Words: 421
Disclaimer: Not mine but I can dream; property of the Great Bird of the Galaxy.
Author's Notes: Takes place immediately after The Empath. Thanks in part to a plot bunny sent my way by syredronning.
"You wanted to see me, Jim?" said McCoy as the door to Kirk's private quarters closed behind him.
"I did." Kirk rose from his desk, his expression grim. "Explain yourself."
"I beg your pardon?"
"Your conduct on the planet, Doctor," snapped Kirk. "Explain."
McCoy stiffened, brought up short by the tone of reprimand. "What conduct would that be, Captain?" he asked warily.
"Insubordination." Kirk stepped around the desk to confront his Chief Medical Officer.
"Insubordination?" he demanded, incredulous. "What the devil--?"
"You refused a direct order from a superior officer and then proceeded to assault that officer and render him unconscious. Do you deny the charges?"
Posture rigid, McCoy fixed his gaze over Kirk's shoulder and addressed the bulkhead wall. "No Sir, I do not," he replied tersely.
"Insubordination and mutiny are court martial offenses under Starfleet regulations. Add assault and you could be facing time in a penal colony."
McCoy felt as if he'd been hit with phaser stun. Court martial? Prison? Would Jim do that to him?
Yes, he would, McCoy answered himself. Kirk was a starship captain; the best in the fleet. There were some things he couldn't overlook, no matter the circumstances.
"Am I being formally charged, Captain?" he asked the bulkhead.
"Should you be, Doctor?"
"As the injured parties, I imagine that depends on you and Mr. Spock." McCoy's gaze briefly shifted back to Kirk, blue eyes bright with anger and injury. "I don't regret my actions. But I do regret the deception." The Vians had left him very little choice in that regard.
"Given the extraordinary circumstances, I'm inclined to dismiss the charges of insubordination and assault." Kirk's tone sharpened. "But you jeopardized the Enterprise and her entire crew, Doctor, and that I will not tolerate."
"How in blazes did I do that?" demanded McCoy, outraged. "She wasn't even in the planet's orbit!"
"By putting the life of her chief medical officer at risk, that's how!" Kirk raised his hand, fingers clenched in a fist so tight the knuckles shone white, and slammed it into the bulkhead. "DAMMIT, Bones! What in HELL were you thinking down there?"
"That the Enterprise needs her Captain," snapped McCoy. "Anyone can be the ship's medical officer. M'Benga, Noel, hell, even Christine could fill my boots! But there's no one in this galaxy or any other that can replace James T. Kirk. Or Mr. Spock."
"That's where you're wrong, Doctor. The Enterprise needs you." Kirk uncurled his fist and dropped his hand on McCoy's shoulder, gripping hard. "I need you."