The Fourth Week...

''Well there she goes'' said the Captain to McCoy. Kirk was seated in his command chair, McCoy standing by it. Spock had offered to escort Lieutenant Fitzpatrick to the transporter. Well at least he's willing to say 'goodbye' thought McCoy as Spock followed the botanist into the turbolift. ''How's Spock?'' asked the Captain.

''He's not been back for more pills'' said McCoy ''I guess he's worked his way through it.''

''Good'' said the Captain ''I was starting to worry.''

''Well you know Spock, Jim'' said McCoy ''he's practically indestructible.''

''Yes I know but when he didn't show up for that thing with the Andorian Ambassador I have to admit I was worried'' said the Captain.

''I think you're mistaken there'' said the Doctor absently.

''Really Bones? How so?'' asked the Captain, turning to regard him with a good natured inquisitorial expression.

''Well I don't know what it was that he didn't show up for, but it can't have been the Andorian Ambassador'' said McCoy.

''I assure you it was Doctor'' said the Captain ''I distinctly remember the Andorian Ambassador commenting on it.''

''Jim it can't have been the Andorian Ambassador because Lieutenant Fitzpatrick asked me for permission to beam down and attend that event'' said McCoy.

''I don't see what you're getting at Bones'' said the Captain.

''Well I asked how she liked it when she got back'' said the Doctor ''you know me Jim I can't stand those spit and polish affairs, but she really seemed to have enjoyed it.''

''Well I'm glad she had a good time'' said Kirk ''if I'd known she was there I'd have asked her for a dance. I still don't see what you're driving at.''

''She did dance with you'' said McCoy, increasingly perplexed.

''I think I would have remembered that'' said the Captain ''have you been taking your own pills again Doctor?''

''No Jim, seriously, I asked how she'd enjoyed it and she said she'd had a great time and that she'd danced with everyone, including you'' said McCoy ''I'm sure she did.''

''You must have misremembered'' said Kirk ''you're getting old, you old sawbones.''

''No, Jim, I do remember because I made some feeble joke about better the Captain than the First Officer'' said McCoy ''and I remember she said something odd about the First Officer. You must have at least seen her, she must have been on the dance floor most of the night, she danced with just about everybody.''

''Doctor'' said Kirk, now a little perplexed himself ''I did not dance with our lovely plant lady. I got a message from your office to say Spock wouldn't be coming, but that it was nothing serious so I danced with some of the guests, talked to the Andorian Ambassador and beamed back with the rest of the crew.''

''My office didn't send a message'' said McCoy ''it would have been in the log.''

''Yes it did'' said Kirk ''that was the reason Spock didn't attend, you ordered him to rest because he'd not been sleeping.''

''I did not'' said McCoy ''although to be fair Jim, he could have done with it.''

''Are you sure Bones?'' said the Captain.

''Of course I'm sure'' said McCoy ''I didn't authorise any message and there was none in the log the next day, so neither did anyone else.''

''Doctor are you telling me that our very logical, quite irreproachable First Officer truanted?'' asked the Captain.

''I didn't send any message, Jim'' said McCoy.

''Let me see if I have this straight'' said the Captain ''you did not attend but are absolutely positive that both of them did, whereas I did attend and am absolutely positive that both of them did not. It would seem we have a bit of a mystery Doctor.''

McCoy looked at the Captain, something momentous dawning in his brain ''Captain, you don't think...?''

It was at this point that the aforesaid very logical, quite irreproachable First Officer arrived back on the bridge.

''Miss Kirkpatrick has beamed down, Captain'' he said and resumed his place at the science station.

McCoy and Kirk looked at each other and then sidled over to the Vulcan. Spock turned to face them expectantly. This was one of the less well reported hazards of space exploration. ''Gentlemen'' he said ''is there something I can do for you?''

''Spock'' began the Captain ''do you know whether or not Miss Kirkpatrick attended the Andorian Ambassador's summer ball?''

Spock thought for a moment and said ''I did not attend that event myself Captain.''

''Because you had been ordered to rest'' said the Captain.

''Doctor McCoy had suggested that I should rest'' said Spock ''it seemed logical to do so at that time.''

''Mmmm'' said the Captain. Spock turned back to his console, effectively ending their interrogation.

Spock had stopped at his quarters on the way back from the transporter, he had opened a drawer and deposited in it a tiny bottle of scent, reminding him of the flowers of his homeworld, next to an unfinished bottle of sleeping pills.

END