Fic: Blame Botany Extra Scene (Pike/Number One, PG)
I could hardly leave Pike out of the mistletoe fun, could I? The following is a scene that didn't make it into the final version of Blame Botany, but that I really rather like anyways. And so I am sharing it here...
~~~
Given that the Enterprise had to regularly send reports back to Starfleet Command, Jim figured it was inevitable that the mistletoe antics would eventually be noticed and questioned.
″Hey, Theo,″ Jim said with a smile when Pike's admin appeared on the screen. ″How are you doing? Pike running you ragged?″
″Hello, Jim.″ Theo's friendly face broke into a smile. Unlike certain first officers he could mention, Jim hadn't had any trouble convincing Pike's assistant to use his given name. It was always good to be on a first name basis with the person in charge of your supervisor's schedule and comm traffic. ″No more so than usual. It's the higher-ups that are really doing the damage. Driving us both up the wall, I'd say.″
″I'm not surprised. We'll have to catch a drink so you can brief me on the Fleet buzz next time I'm Earthside.″
″Sounds good.″ Theo glanced to the side of the screen. ″Looks like the Admiral's ready for you. I'll pipe you in. Stay safe out there.″
″Will do, Theo.″
Pike's face appeared grave when he appeared on the viewscreen in the private conference room Jim had claimed for the briefing.
″Wanna tell me what is going on up there?″ Pike held up a PADD in front of the vid screen. Jim imagined it contained the most recent reports he'd forwarded from the Enterprise department heads.
″The science division has made an discovery that has led to a number of interesting situations.″ Jim quickly summarized recent events.
″People are losing their minds over mistletoe?″
″Most aren't losing their minds, sir. At least not so long as they avoid ingesting the berries-″ Jim paused at Pike's raised eyebrows. ″You can find the events referenced in the next batch of reports from Doctor McCoy, Commander Spock, Security Chief Cup- ahem, Matthews, and the botany team.″
″I'm not going to like this, am I?″
″Unlikely, sir, though since the discovery, I have forbidden the crew from ingesting the berries from the plant and the botanists are working on a hybrid plant whose berries have neither poisonous properties like those of Earth nor the aphrodisiac properties of the Mitkan plant. Appropriately labeled samples are on their way to Starfleet Science and Medical on the next supply run.
″Aside from that it hasn't been exceptionally disruptive. My crew aren't taking things too far, Admiral. I think they are using it as a coping strategy to deal with being so far from their homes and families during the holidays.″ Seeing Pike's willingness to listen to his theory, Jim continued. ″A number of those born on Earth recognize this month as a festive one, and even a few other planets and species have holidays and festivals that are roughly correlating with the Earth ones this year, at least to within a few standard weeks. And those who don't celebrate anything in particular right now appear to be fine with either joining in the fun for the hell of it or ignoring the hijinks all together.″
″No complaints registered?″
″None officially.″ At Pike's dark look, Jim grinned. ″Bones isn't thrilled about ducking around covert mistletoe operations in the rec room or the extra counseling sessions he's had to give to a few crewmembers who've caught the objects of their affections under the mistletoe with others, but you know Bones. Grousing is practically a hobby for him.″
Pike chose not to comment on that statement, glancing down at the PADD in his hands again. ″And there have been several requests for you to perform marriage ceremonies, I see.″
″'Tis the season, I suppose.″ Jim grinned. The mistletoe had led to a lot more general satisfaction than heartbreak, from what he'd seen.
″You realize you're the captain of the Enterprise, not the Love Boat>?″
Jim huffed out a laugh. ″I'll keep that in mind, sir.″
Expecting a crack about him being the one to officiate a marriage ceremony, Jim was surprised to find Pike staring at a point slightly off screen, eyes distant. After a moment Jim cleared his throat, delicately - for Jim, at least - breaking into Pike's reverie. ″Anything else, Admiral?″
Pike's voice held a trace of something Jim couldn't identify when he replied. ″No. Keep me abreast of the situation, and try not to let things get out of hand, alright? Coping mechanisms and crew morale aside, I don't want anything to interfere with the running of the ship. Your updated orders are being prepared now. Lieutenant Uhura should receive them shortly.″
″Yes sir.″
Jim found out the cause for Pike's distraction three days later when he received a brief message from Theo. The message was text-only but had two images attached.
Make it two drinks, and I have a feeling you'll be the one doing most of the talking.
After your comm I received an interesting request from the Admiral to go out and procure him a sprig of mistletoe, but to ensure that it was not a sample sent from the Enterprise. He said it was ″worth a shot,″ with no further comment. The next day he had a special visitor. I had to reschedule two meetings and a conference comm but the Admiral's been in an excellent mood ever since.
The first image was of a somber-looking Pike welcoming a beautiful, severe-looking dark-haired woman into his office. Her face was turned in the direction indicated by Pike's finger and, though nearly as well controlled as Spock, held a faint trace of surprise.
The second image, clearly taken well after the first, had a very different scene. This time looked Pike a bit disheveled and distinctly pleased. The woman, though her expression was still muted, exuded a definite air of satisfaction, even through the photo.
Their eyes were locked on each other as they clasped hands on her exit from Pike's office and she had a sprig of mistletoe tucked into her collar.
~~~
Given that the Enterprise had to regularly send reports back to Starfleet Command, Jim figured it was inevitable that the mistletoe antics would eventually be noticed and questioned.
″Hey, Theo,″ Jim said with a smile when Pike's admin appeared on the screen. ″How are you doing? Pike running you ragged?″
″Hello, Jim.″ Theo's friendly face broke into a smile. Unlike certain first officers he could mention, Jim hadn't had any trouble convincing Pike's assistant to use his given name. It was always good to be on a first name basis with the person in charge of your supervisor's schedule and comm traffic. ″No more so than usual. It's the higher-ups that are really doing the damage. Driving us both up the wall, I'd say.″
″I'm not surprised. We'll have to catch a drink so you can brief me on the Fleet buzz next time I'm Earthside.″
″Sounds good.″ Theo glanced to the side of the screen. ″Looks like the Admiral's ready for you. I'll pipe you in. Stay safe out there.″
″Will do, Theo.″
Pike's face appeared grave when he appeared on the viewscreen in the private conference room Jim had claimed for the briefing.
″Wanna tell me what is going on up there?″ Pike held up a PADD in front of the vid screen. Jim imagined it contained the most recent reports he'd forwarded from the Enterprise department heads.
″The science division has made an discovery that has led to a number of interesting situations.″ Jim quickly summarized recent events.
″People are losing their minds over mistletoe?″
″Most aren't losing their minds, sir. At least not so long as they avoid ingesting the berries-″ Jim paused at Pike's raised eyebrows. ″You can find the events referenced in the next batch of reports from Doctor McCoy, Commander Spock, Security Chief Cup- ahem, Matthews, and the botany team.″
″I'm not going to like this, am I?″
″Unlikely, sir, though since the discovery, I have forbidden the crew from ingesting the berries from the plant and the botanists are working on a hybrid plant whose berries have neither poisonous properties like those of Earth nor the aphrodisiac properties of the Mitkan plant. Appropriately labeled samples are on their way to Starfleet Science and Medical on the next supply run.
″Aside from that it hasn't been exceptionally disruptive. My crew aren't taking things too far, Admiral. I think they are using it as a coping strategy to deal with being so far from their homes and families during the holidays.″ Seeing Pike's willingness to listen to his theory, Jim continued. ″A number of those born on Earth recognize this month as a festive one, and even a few other planets and species have holidays and festivals that are roughly correlating with the Earth ones this year, at least to within a few standard weeks. And those who don't celebrate anything in particular right now appear to be fine with either joining in the fun for the hell of it or ignoring the hijinks all together.″
″No complaints registered?″
″None officially.″ At Pike's dark look, Jim grinned. ″Bones isn't thrilled about ducking around covert mistletoe operations in the rec room or the extra counseling sessions he's had to give to a few crewmembers who've caught the objects of their affections under the mistletoe with others, but you know Bones. Grousing is practically a hobby for him.″
Pike chose not to comment on that statement, glancing down at the PADD in his hands again. ″And there have been several requests for you to perform marriage ceremonies, I see.″
″'Tis the season, I suppose.″ Jim grinned. The mistletoe had led to a lot more general satisfaction than heartbreak, from what he'd seen.
″You realize you're the captain of the Enterprise, not the Love Boat>?″
Jim huffed out a laugh. ″I'll keep that in mind, sir.″
Expecting a crack about him being the one to officiate a marriage ceremony, Jim was surprised to find Pike staring at a point slightly off screen, eyes distant. After a moment Jim cleared his throat, delicately - for Jim, at least - breaking into Pike's reverie. ″Anything else, Admiral?″
Pike's voice held a trace of something Jim couldn't identify when he replied. ″No. Keep me abreast of the situation, and try not to let things get out of hand, alright? Coping mechanisms and crew morale aside, I don't want anything to interfere with the running of the ship. Your updated orders are being prepared now. Lieutenant Uhura should receive them shortly.″
″Yes sir.″
Jim found out the cause for Pike's distraction three days later when he received a brief message from Theo. The message was text-only but had two images attached.
Make it two drinks, and I have a feeling you'll be the one doing most of the talking.
After your comm I received an interesting request from the Admiral to go out and procure him a sprig of mistletoe, but to ensure that it was not a sample sent from the Enterprise. He said it was ″worth a shot,″ with no further comment. The next day he had a special visitor. I had to reschedule two meetings and a conference comm but the Admiral's been in an excellent mood ever since.
The first image was of a somber-looking Pike welcoming a beautiful, severe-looking dark-haired woman into his office. Her face was turned in the direction indicated by Pike's finger and, though nearly as well controlled as Spock, held a faint trace of surprise.
The second image, clearly taken well after the first, had a very different scene. This time looked Pike a bit disheveled and distinctly pleased. The woman, though her expression was still muted, exuded a definite air of satisfaction, even through the photo.
Their eyes were locked on each other as they clasped hands on her exit from Pike's office and she had a sprig of mistletoe tucked into her collar.