Part 2, continued

thrft2.1
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Spock rose and glanced at the reader; his hand shot out and punched the cancel. “Will you have another drink, Doctor?” His voice was low and slightly menacing. But McCoy was not to be deflected.

“Of course. It's so obvious -- so damn LOGICAL -- I don't know why I didn't think of it.”

“What IS it, Bones?”

“Tell him, Spock. Tell Jim how you can be so sure his career wouldn't have been hurt.”

“Doctor, I fail to understand your interest in an aborted plan.”

“Because, Spock, I still think this is the damnedest show I ever saw outside of a traveling company. I think you ought to be HORSEWHIPPED! But I don't think you deserve to loose Jim's trust. And he's only human, Spock. He can't help wondering. I think he needs to know exactly how you planned to save his skin.”

Spock was silent. Kirk rose. “What do you mean, Doctor?”

“It would've been simple, wouldn't it, Spock? A first officer kidnaps his former captain and takes him to an unknown destination. Then -- when, Spock? On the way back? Irrational behaviors appear. Severe paranoia was a good choice. It's easy to fake. And then what? Rehabilitation? Or, no. You'd be thorough, wouldn't you, Spock? Tragic. 'Suicide while of unsound mind,' and everyone sympathetic, and anxious to hush it up. No one could blame the captain whose ship was stolen by a deranged first. All very regrettable, but no action to be taken --” McCoy broke off at the expression of horror on Kirk's face.

Kirk jerked his head, and then McCoy made a tactical error.

“May I use your facilities?”

“Of course, Doctor.” Spock was wooden, but he politely indicated the inner door. McCoy stepped through and activated it behind him. The captain needed to interview his first in privacy now. Maybe he should have left entirely, but he hadn't wanted to seem too blatant.

Damn and blast! the 'facilities' were Vulcan, of course. Well, at least he was out of the way.

“Have you served any other captains?” Kirk's voice was low and tight, but it carried clearly to the inner room.

“No sir. Only Captain Pike and you.”

“Well, thank the Lord for small favors! Now you listen, you ---!”

Kirk's voice rose to a roar. This would never do. Abruptly, McCoy rose, went into the shower, stripped, and turned on the jets.