Actions

Work Header

Rating:
Archive Warning:
Fandom:
Characters:
Language:
English
Stats:
Published:
2022-10-03
Completed:
2022-12-10
Words:
30,936
Chapters:
23/23
Comments:
31
Kudos:
14
Bookmarks:
1
Hits:
314

Shore Leave Interrupted

Summary:

While the Enterprise is on a systems check layover at Starbase 23, the entire crew get's a week's shore leave as a cloaked Romulan warbird gets ready to test a newly-developed secret weapon.

Notes:

(See the end of the work for notes.)

Chapter 1

Summary:

The Enterprise parks at Starbase 23 for a week. Shore leave for (almost) all!

Chapter Text

Lieutenant Uhura looked up from the communications console, her chair swivelling towards the centre of the bridge. James T. Kirk didn’t miss the motion and turned a bit himself, eyebrows raised in anticipation of the message she was about to deliver. A smile graced her lips and she nodded. “Starbase reports all umblicals are secure, sir. Systems interface complete. Downloads beginning.”

He felt more than a little tension drain away and leaned back a bit in the command chair for a moment before responding, smiling himself as he breathed out. “Thank you, Lieutenant. Signal the all-clear for Shore Leave. Skeleton crew rotations for station duty as worked out by Mr. Scott. Let everyone enjoy themselves as much as possible. We only have a week.”

“Aye, sir.” His senior communications officer turned back to her board to officially declare liberty throughout the ship and, probably, to start shutting things down at the same time.

Kirk let the chair move back to its natural position and looked up at his first officer standing on the other side. “Mr. Spock, any exciting plans?”

Spock continued to stare at the viewscreen as the planet slowly rotated below them. Kirk had never bought into the idea of Vulcan eyesight being more acute than human, chalking up any differences to the proven fact that Vulcans were better at paying attention than practically every other species in the galaxy. They did see a slightly different spectrum than humans and Kirk didn’t often have occasion to wonder how different the universe might look slightly offset from the human range.

Finally, his first officer looked away from the screen. “A high-ranking member of the Vulcan Science Academy is currently in residence at Sorontree University on the planet below. It has been suggested that I pay my respects.”

If Kirk hadn’t known better, he would have sworn he heard a trace of confusion in the Vulcan’s tone. He decided to let the observation go by, though. “Quite a coup for a school this close to the frontier.” Senior members of the Science Academy didn’t often leave Vulcan. When they did, it was almost exclusively to other core Federation worlds. Like Dr. Ranek’s academy tours. Kirk almost shivered remembering the advanced mathematics course in his third year at the Academy. He’d never had to work as hard to stay ahead of the curve, much less on it. If he were honest with himself, he might admit he’d never worked harder as a student.

“Indeed. I am most curious how it came about.”

“You’ll have to let me know.” Kirk stood and stretched, turning to meet the steady Vulcan gaze and raised eyebrow.

“At the risk of intruding on Dr. McCoy’s territory, do you have plans for shore leave while we are here?” Very, very subtle emphasis on the pronoun.

“Ha!” Like Bones hadn’t been all over the subject for a week. “No, not really, Spock.” He shrugged. “Oh, I’m going to get off the ship for a few days, see some of the natural wonders of Talgia, but to the best of my knowledge, there are no old friends or old flames for the Doctor to push me into pursuing. My intention is to do a little hiking and rock climbing. Maybe some riding if they have horses in residence somewhere.”

“I’m certain Dr. McCoy will be pleased.” Spock nodded as if that was the most important piece of the conversation.

“No doubt.” He smiled as two young officers stood up from Helm and Navigation, their own boards powered down, a rarity on the Enterprise. “Gentlemen, which of you drew the short straw?”

“Sir?” Sulu’s brow pulled down but Chekov raised a hand.

“That would be me, Captain. I have volunteered as deck officer for the first 48 hours.

Kirk raised an eyebrow, deliberately mimicking his first officer. “Really, Mr. Chekov. That seems a bit unlike you.”

“Does it, sir? I have had some leave recently.” The young man shrugged.

“Which you used by taking an advanced tactics course at Starbase 67.” Among other things that weren’t talked about, and wouldn’t be until the mission got declassified, if it ever did. “And that was several months ago.”

Flushing, Chekov lowered his eyes for a moment, but only a moment, while he probably remembered some of the same things, but probably in considerably more detail. “Well, yes, sir, but I suspect those forty-eight hours will be the quietest aboard. There will be very little to do with most primary systems shut down and only a skeleton maintenance crew aboard. I will have sufficient free time that it will feel like I am on leave. And there will still be plenty of interest and entertainment to be found when Mr. Leslie relieves me at the end of it.”

With a grin, Sulu clapped Chekov on the shoulder. “And I’ve got days five and six. A little peace and quiet will probably do me good by then.”

“And the last day of our stay here?” He was pleasantly surprised at the organization of his bridge officers. He probably shouldn’t have been.

The two exchanged a glance, but it was Sulu who answered. “We’ve more or less assumed that it’s going to be close to a regular duty day for at least some of the bridge crew, captain. The crew will be straggling back beginning the night before.”

“I commend the advance planning. Quite logical.”

Kirk flicked a glance at his first officer. “High praise. Thank you, gentlemen. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I hear the mountain trails calling. And maybe some horses.”

“Enjoy your leave, sir.” Sulu began moving towards the turbolift himself.

Chekov, however, straightened for a moment. “Aye, sir. I have the bridge.”

With a look back over his shoulder, Kirk smiled. “You do, at that, Lieutenant. As you were.”