The Aftermath

[logical_hobgoblin]

Spock is not pleased.

Pike is not pleased.

There might not be yelling, but the silence is deafening.

Spock has been decontaminated and taken out of the suit, but he's still locked behind an airtight barrier to ensure he's not still able to infect anyone else with whatever it is he came into contact with on the planet. So far, he's not exhibiting any symptoms, but it's unknown whether that's due to humanoid biology, or Vulcanoid biology, or because the virus is ineffectual in an oxygen atmosphere.

Despite all the people poking and prodding at him, he's still working away silently on his PADD, filling out reports. He might as well make use of his time.

Comments

[theoriginalcaptain]

Following his own inspection, Pike has at least gotten a new uniform on. Better than both the evo-suit and nothing at all. He's in his own iso-chamber, awaiting some test results, but he isn't idle. He has some business on the bridge to attend to, making sure that the original negotiations were still intact and that their manufactured emergency had been "taken care of."

His conference with Number One is brief but productive, and she's handling things just fine on her end. Once he's done with that, he has very little else to do but sit and observe Spock in the neighboring chamber.

[logical_hobgoblin]

He understands that the medical staff must be thorough in their testing when dealing with an unknown pathogen, although these tests do seem to be getting more and more invasive. What started off as passive scans has since been upgraded to blood samples and hands-on contact.

The Vulcan is looking distinctly more uncomfortable by the second, and it doesn't help that he can feel Pike's eyes on him, as illogical as such a sensation might be. It is likely that he will be reprimanded once he has been cleared, and he cannot say he is looking forward to it.

Dread is not something he's used to experiencing.

[theoriginalcaptain]

Spock is right to be dreading getting out of sickbay. Pike is already putting together his speech in his head while he sits there, but at least he'll spare the Vulcan the humiliation of being reprimanded in front of everyone while they're in sickbay.

Pike's tests have come back clear; he wasn't exposed to enough of the virus for it to be of major concern, it was the effects of being outside the evo-suit in that atmosphere that were the most worrying. But he's a tough old broad, it's going to take more than a thin atmosphere to knock him out.

As he's discharged, he stops in front of Spock's iso-chamber to address him. "You will report to my ready room immediately after you are released, cadet."

He doesn't even wait for a reply before he's left to go speak with Boyce in his office.

[logical_hobgoblin]

"Yes, Captain," is the immediate reply, without a tinge of any of the anxiety he's trying to suppress.

8 tests and an hour later, Spock is finally given the all-clear and a round of antibiotics, just in case. That done, he heads to Pike's ready room, as instructed, PADD clasped behind his back and pride steeled for the beating it's undoubtedly about to take.

"Reporting as requested, sir."

[theoriginalcaptain]

Pike doesn't look up right away when the door swishes open, just gives Spock a simple "sit" direction while he keeps scanning the com screen in front of him. He's long mastered the art of intimidation, especially on lowly cadets, but e's a bit interested to see how effective any of these are on a Vulcan. Human failings, he knows intimately. Vulcans are a whole different matter, though.

Spock will have to sit there until Pike thinks he's squirmed enough.

"Explain to me your actions on the shuttle."

[logical_hobgoblin]

Spock knows these tactics and he understands, logically, how they affect the human psyche. Vulcans are a different matter, and although Spock perches himself straight-backed and rigid in the chair, he fares considerably better in the patience category than a human would. He doesn't fidget, he doesn't move. He simply stares at a spot on the far wall while he waits for Pike to decide to talk to him.

He thinks, perhaps, whatever satisfaction Pike derives from making him wait may go towards diminishing his foul mood. Or perhaps not.

The question is not unexpected, nor unusual, so Spock answers it easily enough: "I had been exposed to an unknown pathogen. I did not wish to risk infecting you or the others."

[theoriginalcaptain]

Ah, well. He knows for the future.

And no, it doesn't help diminish his foul mood. If anything, it makes it worse.

"That doesn't mean your only other option is to fall on your sword, either. What exactly were you planning on doing if we kept you off the ship?"

[logical_hobgoblin]

He doesn't attempt to play dumb with the idiom. He understands its implied meaning. "I would have found somewhere to hide until I could determine whether or not I had been infected. If I had been infected and rescue with proper containment procedures was not possible, then the most logical option would have been to find a place where my remains would not be discovered by the indigenous species, or find a way to destroy my body so that there would be no remains."

So simple, so logical, and completely devoid of emotion.

[theoriginalcaptain]

For a moment, Pike stares at him. It's not out of intimidation this time, but rather the shock that he can be that matter of fact about disposing his own corpse if need be. (To be honest, Pike has thought about matters such as this quite a lot, and has made peace with the very real possibility he'll have to do that one day. All captains have a martyr complex.)

"None of those were your calls to make," he says evenly. He knows raising his voice won't do anything, so now that his initial burst of anger is out, he won't bother with wasting more energy on it. "We have medical teams to assess you, science officers to study and synthesize the virus, and most importantly, commanding officers who have the dubious privilege of deciding who gets to live and who gets to die. You're a very smart cadet, Spock, and you'll make a good officer one day, but you're not the smartest, not the best. Not yet."

[logical_hobgoblin]

"I claim to be neither the smartest nor the best, sir. I merely attempted to make decisions that would not risk the safety of the rest of the crew." Which, he believes, is how all Starfleet officers should act. There is no point in putting oneself above others if all will pay the price.

"I did not know what effect it would have on human systems, nor on my own. It was possible it would be instantly fatal for your biological makeup."

[theoriginalcaptain]

Pike can almost hear what Spock's subtly saying, but he's not well-versed enough in Vulcan subtleties to call him out yet. Nor will he ever be, really, but there's definitely something in there that irks him.

"Again, not your call. There is always an element of risk in what we do, and everyone on board this ship has accepted that. Everyone on board this ship has also sworn to help each other. You don't have to do things alone."

HA. SO RICH, COMING FROM PIKE.

[logical_hobgoblin]

At least the unfamiliarity goes both ways. If Spock knew Pike better, he might be able to call him out on that. Respectfully, of course.

"Yes, sir." What else can he say? He has stated his logical assessment of the situation, and his commanding officer has decided he is wrong, even if logic states that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, or the one.

[theoriginalcaptain]

"Dismissed, cadet." Then he's back to focusing on his com screen as if Spock isn't even there.

[logical_hobgoblin]

That evening, Spock submits his official report to Starfleet and copies it to Pike for the captain's records. It is a precise recounting of the events that transpired, including all relevant timestamps, dialogues, and documentation.

He even reports that he has been reprimanded for his error in judgement without sounding the least bit spiteful.

[theoriginalcaptain]

Oh, Spock. Pike will add a little note of his own to that report to clarify the reprimand, but other than that, it's just amusing how thorough his reports are.

The next morning, Spock will have a message from the captain asking if he's free for dinner that evening.

[logical_hobgoblin]

Spock replies in the affirmative. Of course he will set aside time for dinner with the captain. Undoubtedly, there is work to be discussed, given the mission they just completed.

So, Spock promptly shows up outside Pike's quarters at 1800 and sounds the chime.

[theoriginalcaptain]

"Enter."

Pike's quarters are spartan, at best. There's very little that's personal, aside from a picture from on his desk of himself, Robert and Sarah April, and Boyce seated at a table and smiling. There's also a line of small crystals - memory crystals - on a shelf, but they're all switched off at the moment, their memories locked safely inside. That's really the only way to tell this is even his cabin.

The captain himself is sitting as his desk but rises as soon as Spock enters in greeting.

[logical_hobgoblin]

Spock tries not to look around. He has only been here once before, and it still strikes him how bare the room seems. It is like his own, devoid of personal belonging. It doesn't seem particularly usually for a human.

"Captain," Spock greets, just as formal as he's always been, "It is 1800. I have arrived for our dinner arrangement."

[theoriginalcaptain]

"That we did. Have a seat, Spock."

He gestures towards a particular seat on the other side of his desk, one that, on a casual glance, is exactly the same as any other chair. But there are subtle differences, and Pike is absolutely sure that Spock will be able to spot what exactly makes that chair so special.

[logical_hobgoblin]

As soon as his attention is brought to the seat, his brain immediately maps out the curves, noting that they are different than is standard for a predominantly human ship. In fact, it is shaped like the ones that would be found on a Vulcan vessel.

Spock eyes it, somewhat stunned, but he collects himself quickly enough and seats himself in it, no longer perching on the edge. No, he sits in it fully, letting his back rest against the chair comfortably. "I did not expect you to take such initiative. Thank you."

[theoriginalcaptain]

This is probably the most relaxed Pike has ever seen him, and that makes any difficulty it took to secure the chair worth it (and really, it wasn't difficult to find a Vulcan chair - it was difficult to get it to them quickly). "I told you I would look into it, and I'm a man of my word."

[logical_hobgoblin]

"I had opportunity to read of your exploits prior to my internship, but I am learning that your reported integrity was not overstated." Which is as close to a direct compliment as a Vulcan can get without actually putting it in the form: 'you are [beneficial trait]'.

[theoriginalcaptain]

He can hear the compliment in there well enough.

"It'll be installed in the science lab first thing in the morning. Unless there's somewhere else on the ship you'd rather have it?" He really doesn't think there would be, but it's Spock's chair, he gets the final call.

[logical_hobgoblin]

"The science lab will be more than adequate, sir. Thank you." He knows he said that already, but he truly is grateful. Pike is going well above and beyond his duties to accommodate Spock.

[theoriginalcaptain]

Quite the contrary, he's doing what any captain should be doing. The ship should fit the crew, not necessarily the other way around.

"I went through the ship's stores, but it doesn't seem as if we have too many Vulcan dishes programmed in, so I hope the food isn't too disappointing." He did, however, make sure to get only vegetarian things for Spock. Pike will be enjoying his replicated steak very much. "Is the Academy any better?"