The Truth

	He had always been a keen observer of people.  The circumstances of his childhood had honed that skill into a craft that even two years studying the Kolinahr could not destroy.  As a Starfleet officer he had often relied on that skill to figure out complex problems but as he had often found, observing people and understanding why they did what they were doing were two separate things.  Since his return to the USS Enterprise he had spent most of his time either on duty or in meditation.  There were times however that he felt it was just as much of a duty to make an ‘appearance’ in the officer’s recreation areas as it was to tour the ship’s many corridors to create a sense of who he was among the new crew.  It was during one of his first appearances in the officer’s mess that he realized that it was not just Admiral Kirk’s reappearance that was causing problems ship wide.   
He had settled in a corner booth, one that was set up to attend to the needs of those from planets with higher heat or UV levels, and with the lights dimmed sat observing the crew with a more clinical eye than he had in the previous tour of duty.  It was a calm time of day, the hustle of mealtimes past and most of the people who came and went were just there for coffee and conversation.  Although he never planned to eavesdrop, his superior hearing gave him no choice in listening in to the varied conversations around him.  A group of junior crew had taken up the larger pit grouping next to him but paid no mind to the fact that there might be someone within listening distance.  For a time they spoke of nothing more interesting than what Dr. McCoy had always referred to as ‘how’s-the-weather’ small talk.  Considering that there is no ‘weather’ per se onboard a starship, Spock claimed to not understand what he was trying to say.  At the time it was to aggravate McCoy into becoming even more irascible, now Spock preferred to keep the doctor quiet.  He had been almost unbearable to be around since Spock’s return to the ship.  
“Man, what a day.  You know, I thought it was bad when Chapel was Chief Medical Officer, but since McCoy’s taken back over it’s worse,” a female voice Spock did not recognize immediately came through the mingle of voices from next door.  
	“What’s she done today Ming?” 
	“The woman insists on triple checking readings.  Just because I screwed up and switched the data that one time.  She’s just impossible,” the woman complained.  
	“Whatever Ming,” another voice said with what Spock recognized as irritation.  Apparently this woman complained about the same thing a lot.  
	“Maybe if she got some she’d get happy,” a male voice replied which created snickers around the table.  
	Someone added, “Maybe if she smiled a little more she’d get some to get happy.”
	That piqued Spock’s curiosity.  When Spock thought of Christine Chapel he always pictured her smiling, but although she had smiled broadly at him when he first arrived back aboard he could not recall seeing her smile sense.  Perhaps it was her added responsibilities as a ship’s doctor, perhaps it was the death of two members of the ship and the weight of the mission they had been on, or perhaps, she simply did not wish to smile any longer.  It was not his affair in any case.  
	“Well, unless you want to set her up with someone, I guess you won’t get her in a better mood.  Course, you could always aim McCoy at her, not like he has anything to do on board.  Where’d the Admiral dig him up anyway?”
	“I think he was on some tour drinking his way halfway through the South,” the voice Spock identified as Ming’s answered with a smirk.  “So far he’s just gotten in the way.  He doesn’t even know how to operate half the equipment anymore.  And our former CMO just keeps giving him to me to baby sit.  Really, I have other things to do.  Uh-oh, speaking of the beast…” 
	At this point Spock’s attention went to the new members of the room.  Lts. Uhura and Rand had come in closely followed Dr. Chapel.  She wasn’t smiling.  Spock made a mental note of this, and while he paid attention to the voices beside him he kept a steady eye on the three women he would consider the closest female friends he had.  
	“You’d think she’d have gotten a promotion this time around.  I mean, geez, she’s been main bridge crew for over five years.  Still I guess communications officers aren’t really up and coming are they?”
	“Is that why you picked communications Smitty?” someone asked and the group laughed.
	“Who’s the blonde with them?” 
	“She used to be the Admiral’s yeoman last time out.  Lots of rumors there…” Ming added quietly.  
	Spock needed no further commentary to understand what the rumors could possibly be.  He had known of Rand’s attraction to Jim Kirk before Kirk did.  Spock had little doubt that Kirk wished to reciprocate the feelings but felt it difficult to do and captain a starship.  Spock’s recommendation to Rand to further her career by going to Starfleet for training had apparently paid off.  She’d used the time well and the incident involving Admiral Kirk’s wife and Commander Sonak notwithstanding, she had served admirably according to her record.  
	Spock’s gaze stayed glued to the table the three women occupied.  Someone mentioned something funny, or at least the way Rand and Uhura reacted it was funny.  Chapel simply shook her head as if in disbelief.  Probably something said at her expense.  
	“Hey, Persal where are you going?” Ming called from the pit area.
	“Got a date with Sulu and a sharp blade,” a petite woman already dressed in fencing gear replied as she passed the group.  
	“He’s a little advanced for you isn’t he?  I thought you just learned to fence a few weeks ago.”
	She shrugged, “I guess he ran out of sparring partners.  That’s what he said anyway.  He said it helps him relax.  This is the fifth time in two weeks he’s asked me to fence.” 
	“I bet they don’t fence…” someone suggested.  It was the same voice that had suggested Chapel get some to get happy earlier.  Apparently he was a typical human male with little else to think about than sex.  
	“I gotta go,” Persal insisted and left.  
	“Wonder why Sulu’s so uptight?” a female voice queried.  
	“You would be too if someone showed up out of the blue and took the job out from under them.”
	“Who… Kirk?” Ming’s voice asked.  
	“No, Spock.  Sulu was the second in command under Decker but when Kirk took over Decker was demoted to first officer and then when Spock showed up and Decker died, well, you don’t think Kirk’s gonna let Sulu be first officer when he’s got his back up computer on board do you?  Sulu’s a good officer and deserves the post,” someone explained at length.  
	“Sure but I bet he won’t get it.  Course he could always hope that Spock decides to go crawl under a rock again.  Maybe then… hey, is that the time.  I’ll be late,” Ming announced and Spock could hear the scurry of people rushing out of the mess.  His session in the UV booth was nearly finished and Spock decided he’d had enough human observation for that day.  He’d learned quite a bit that he’d not necessarily wished to know.  The lights came up and he emerged, refreshed from the intense exposure.  The booth was a vast improvement to the old style lamps that were generally issued or the bulbs that were used in the cabin lighting fixtures.  He approached the table with the three women, “Lts. Uhura, Rand, Dr. Chapel.”
	“Spock,” the three chorused back.  Rand’s eyes were wet with tears, and by the expression on her face they were happy ones. Uhura was just as mirth filled, but Chapel’s blue eyes were dark, serious as she looked up at him.  
	“Why don’t you sit with us,” Rand suggested and patted the empty seat.  Spock stood considering and then pulled back the chair to sit between Rand and Chapel.  He looked purposely at the doctor, “Dr. Chapel has Dr. McCoy become familiar with the new sickbay arrangements?”
	Christine blinked.  The fact that Spock addressed her as an equal was a bit new to her but she shrugged, “He’s learning.  Some of the newer modifications can’t really be used unless there’s a real life test.  Until we get a horta on board to check with the silicone readings, we’ll just have to wait on that.  Why do you ask?”
	Spock was not a good liar.  He was also not the fastest thinker on his feet when it came to coming up with excuses.  He decided on a half truth. “It has come to my attention, via unofficial sources, that Dr. McCoy may be having a difficult time adjusting to his duties.”
	“Oh, you’ve overheard Ming talking again,” Chapel chuckled.  She explained to Nyota and Janice, “I asked her to help Leonard find his way around that one day and she’s gone on about it ever since.  If it weren’t for the fact that she is a good nurse I’d write her up.” 
	Spock’s face was as still as stone but a spark in his eye made Chapel smile.  Janice nudged Uhura, “We’ve been trying to get her to do that for two weeks.”
	“I know…” the Bantu replied impressed.  “Spock, you need to stick around more often.”
	Christine blushed, much to her own annoyance, “Spock’s not the reason I smiled.  The fact that I do believe I just caught him eavesdropping again though…”
	“Have you?” Rand asked with that giddy girlish way she had about her.  
	With a hint of the old Spock, the one who would tease and joke around with them in the recreation room, the Vulcan cleared his throat, “It is difficult not to hear…”
	“When you have ears as big as yours,” Uhura finished with an outright laugh.  She’d heard McCoy complain about it often enough when Spock would catch him saying something nice about the first officer.  
	“As you wish,” Spock replied.  He could sense another round of teasing, albeit gentle, but he was in no frame of mind to go along with it.  “Ladies, if you will excuse me, I do have duties to attend to.”
	He nodded curtly and got up to leave.  He considered what he’d heard regarding Sulu.  It was no matter to him if he was kept as First Officer or not.  Technically, he had no right to the title and if questioned he would state that he did not merit the reinstatement to his full status.  He had given up his rank and its privileges when he’d left Starfleet almost three years ago.  It was only right that others would be given the opportunities that he’d had.  He would also remind Jim Kirk that Leonard McCoy was not necessarily qualified to run sickbay in its updated condition.  He did not know if that would make Chapel happy, but it was the truth.