-Chapter 9-

The Vulcan was leaning over a console, his dark eyes fixed on the screen in front of him. Leonard felt he was vaguely familiar, but he couldn't place him.

Approaching the man, he allowed his gaze to harden ever so slightly. If he was going to get anywhere with this guy, he was going to need to be bold.

"What is it, doctor?" Spock said without taking his eyes from his instruments.

"Are you Cmdr. Spock?" Leonard asked.

"Yes," he replied in the same monotone. "And you are Dr. Leonard McCoy."

"Um, yeah." That threw him off for a second before he realized his bio was sent ahead. Vulcan eidetic memory and all, he probably already memorized it. "I'd like to request permission to accompany the away team."

Now Spock looked up. "What function do you wish to perform?"

It took a second to process what he was asking. "I figured with Lt. Sulu on the mend, I could keep an eye on him, for one thing. I don't know much about flying a shuttle or diplomacy, but I can hold my own in a fight."

Even to his own ears, the request sounded weak, but to his surprise Spock didn't immediately say no. Instead he studied him with the same sort of practical curiosity Sulu and Harrison had. Now Leonard recognized him – he was the Vulcan who'd stared at him before, when he'd first met Harrison.

Spock nodded once. "Meet in the transporter room in thirty minutes. I will brief you further once all away team members have assembled."

"Alright, I'll be there," Leonard found himself saying before turning and heading for the turbolift.

God. He'd really done it. A wave of fear washed over him like a swell of stagnant seawater. Why had Harrison and Spock allowed him on the away team? Did they know? They couldn't know. He hadn't told anyone.

He forced the thought down as the turbolift opened. He could deal with that later.

Now, he thought as he stepped into the cargo bay, he needed to do some investigating.

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