Vulcan Pride and Human Logic

[DaylightStarr]

Title: Vulcan Pride and Human Logic

Fandom: Star Trek, 2009

Characters: Kirk, Spock and McCoy

Disclaimer: Nope, not mine. It would be nice, though...

Summary: When Spock comes down with a virus, it's up to two "illogical" humans to make him see reason and take care of himself.

A/N: I'm hoping this is in character. I'm still a little shaky with Kirk...

"Mr. Spock report." Captain James Kirk's voice was uncharacteristically terse, but, to be fair, the science officer was uncharacteristically unresponsive.

The Vulcan shook himself mentally, although his features remained smooth and unchanged. "Star Fleet has requested that we proceed to Syston Four to receive the new medical supplies, as well as take on new crew members." The voice was as cool and collected as it always had been, but there was decidedly something off about it as well. Jim made a metal note to call him on it later.

However, first things first. They did have a planet to get to, after all. "Thank you, Mr. Spock. Mr. Sulu, steady on course to Syston Four, warp one."

"Aye, Captain."

Kirk settled into his chair, smiling comfortably to himself. This wasn't their first mission, not by a long shot, but he would never get tired of hearing those words. "Captain James T. Kirk"; it was a name that just sort of rolled off the tongue.

HUR-eh-CHU! Eh-CHU! Heh-Ep-CHOO!" After the first violent sneeze, Jim turned his chair in the direction of the sound, and wasn't surprised to see that it came from his first officer, who seemed to be in the grasp of a rather desperate sneezing fit. "Mr. Spock..." he started off tentatively, once the man had finished.

"Yes, Captain?"

Kirk studied his face hard for a few seconds and finally just said, "bless you."

An incredulous eyebrow arched. "If memory serves me, Captain, by saying 'bless you' to me, you are implying that you believe, as did the humans hundreds of years before you, that by sneezing I have somehow momentarily lost my immortal soul and you must invoke God's divine hand otherwise I shall become demon possessed. Sir, even if God is real, I do not believe it is possible to lose one's soul, whatever that my be, in such a way. Your sentiment is illogical."

"Spock, normally, when people say that to you, you just say 'thank you' and move on."

Again, illogical. You have done nothing to warrant my tha... HUR-eh-EHCHUU! Heh-eh-CHUU!" He sniffed so quietly that a less observant man that Kirk would have never heard it.

Jim sighed quietly. "Mr. Spock, are you feeling well?"

"I assure you, Captain, I am more than capable of preforming my duties, in spite of my... HUR-CHU! HUR-eh-CHOO! Currant condition."

Capable, yes, but should you get worse..."

"Should I get worse, the logical thing to do would be to go to sick bay and see Dr. McCoy. However, as of yet I do not require medical attention."

Kirk shook his head. The damn Vulcan had a reply to everything. He tried a different approach. "If you say so, Spock, but I'd really rather you not infect my whole bridge, either."

A thoughtful look flitted across Spock's face. "Understood Captain. With your permission, I would like to retire to my quarters."

"I think that would be the wisest thing to do."

Spock left the bridge and returned to his quarters. He changed into his sleepwear and shivered. Although he had been off Vulcan for years, he still felt the chill of being off-world, especially when he was ill already. Never the less, he would make the most of his down time. He pulled out a PADD and started to skim over the new roster. Several new scientists were joining them for one mission, and that was of professional interest to him. He knew a couple names on the list from his cadet days, but most of the people he'd never heard of, and those he knew he wasn't particularly friends with. Not that a Vulcan needed friends, to be sure. Comrades, of course, but friends filled an emotional need that they simply didn't have. Or wanted to deny, at any rate. Spock's head throbbed mercilessly, refusing to allow him to read any further. Reluctantly, he set the PADD aside and closed his eyes, allowing his body to try to go into a healing trance.

Something forced him to wake up a few hours later. He wasn't sure if it was his sore throat, his still aching head or his stuffy nose. HUR-eh-CHOO! Heh-EH-CHOO!" Or maybe he'd sneezed himself awake. He sat up and coughed, touching the side of his temple. He felt terrible, to be frank. And the only way to manage the feeling would be to focus on something else. Like his duties on the ship. Spock had never allowed his body to dictate his actions, and was not about to start now. "Spock to sick bay." He croaked into his comm.

"McCoy here. Jim told me I might have the pleasure of talking to you today, Spock."

"Dr. McCoy, I require your medical expertise, not your wit, thank you. I'm on my way down to sick bay, and would rather you not make a big deal out of it."

"Alright, I won't make a big deal out of it. I'm glad you're on your way, though. Saves me the trouble of ordering you down here. If we have a ship wide epidemic, I'd rather stop it early."

"Yes, Doctor. I hope, however, that is not the case."

A few minutes later, Spock perched on the edge of an exam table, awaiting McCoy's verdict. "Well Doctor?" He pulled a tissue from a box McCoy had set by the bed and wiped his nose carefully.

"Well Mr. Spock, you seem to have caught yourself a fine case of Chloridian flu. Not fatal, but most victims find themselves wishing it was. You must have picked it up on Space Station Three."

Spock's eyebrow raised. "Chloridian flu? If I remember correctly that disease can only be spread to another life form by a Chloridian, am I right?"

Well yes. You aren't contagious, if that's what you're asking."

"Have I ever been?"

"Not with this particular strain of virus, no. Why do you ask?"

As I pose no danger to the rest of the crew, I request to return to my duties on the bridge."

"Spock, you're not fit for duty. What part of 'most people wish the disease was fatal' did you not understand?"

"An illogical reaction to an illness that seems to be nearly harmless. When one's mind is set against allowing something minor, like this illness, to overwhelm them, the body is forced to follow suit."

"Mind over matter."

"Exactly, Doctor."

"You're running a damn high fever, Spock."

"High is relative. It's a mild one, by Vulcan standards."

"Whether you want to admit this or not, you're half human, Spock. What this 'mild' fever of yours is doing to the human part of your body is anyone's guess."

"I have been ill before, McCoy. This fever is hardly something to become alarmed about."

"You know I can relieve you of duties, as the chief medical officer, don't you?"

"That would be illogical. I already told you I was able to complete my... HUR-eh-CHUU! Eh-CHUU! Heh-eh-CHU!"

"Bless you, Spock." Spock, who was clearing his nose softly in a tissue, turned to the new voice and quirked an eyebrow. He was a bit too occupied to say anything about the blessing this time, however. Jim strode up to the table and eyed the patient. "I see you came to sick bay, which tells me that you must be feeling a little bad, at least."

"It was simply the logical thing to do, Captain." He tossed the tissue into the waste bin McCoy held out for him. "I needed to ensure that I was not a risk to the rest of the crew before returning to duty."

"So you're telling me this has nothing to do with the fact that's you've never been out sick once, even when you were a cadet, and you don't want to see that record broken? Or you're just opposed to taking sick time in general?"

Spock's face twitched very slightly, but he neither confirmed nor denied the accusations.

"See Bones," the young captain quipped lightly, "Vulcans are just as prone to feeling pride in some illogical achievement as we lowly humans are. Or that could just be the human side in him coming out. I mean, it has to be illogical to work when you feel like hell, right?"

"As I was telling the doctor before you came in, I am perfectly capable of working through this bit of discomfort."

Kirk rolled his eyes. "That sort of bullshit only goes so far, Spock. Sooner or later your body's gonna have to give in to its better judgment."

McCoy quirked a subtle smile. "You know, Jim, I always wondered what a Vulcan in a dead faint would look like."

"Vulcans do not faint, Dr. McCoy." Came an almost indignant reply.

"There's always a first time for everything. And you will if you insist on pushing yourself."

Jim leaned against the wall casually. "You know, I have the evaluations for my senior staff coming up. Poor performance reflects worse on them than a few well deserved sick days."

Sharp dark eyes flicked in Kirk's direction. "I hardly think my performance has been poor, Captain."

"Going back to work when you have a condition that could cause you to react slowly in an emergency would be considered a poor performance."

Spock's gaze went quickly from one face to the other. Jim's expression was bland and a little regretful, as if he truly hated giving his first officer anything less than a shining evaluation. McCoy just looked a bit annoyed.

Spock's shoulders slumped ever so slightly; his only outward show of defeat. "Your logic is solid." His tired eyes met Kirk's. "Permission to remain in my quarters until I am fully recovered, Captain."

Jim grinned and patted Spock's knee impulsively, surprised when the man didn't pull away. "I think that would be a very good, very logical choice, Mr. Spock." He turned to leave when Spock sneezed again. A tug of sympathy pulled at his mind when he saw how miserable Spock looked. "Oh, and Spock?"

"Yes Captain?"

"I might come down to your quarters after I'm done on the bridge tonight. I'm sort of in the mood to kick your ass at a game of chess, while the kicking's good."

There was a tilt of the head and an incline of an eyebrow before he responded. "Captain... Jim... I hardly see you besting me at chess any time in the near future."

Kirk laughed. "Yeah Bones, Vulcans can have their pride hurt, too." He left before Spock could drum up a suitable response.

[Guest Secrets]

LOVE!!!! Is this a one-shot or will there be more of the lovely Spock torture? Reading about Kirk hanging out in Spocks quarters with him would be great.

[PetalsAndThorns]

Spock.... sick... Jim... McCoy... defensive... pride... sniffly.... >/////////////////////<

Spock is my newest victim favorite character and this is just the type of story I'd been hoping to find about him! So perfect! So in character! So...

(It seems my brain is temporarily(<--I hope) out of order. I'll have to complete my comment later... excuse me while I make a shrine to this *-*)

[sneezedreamer]

Brilliant work DaylightStarr!!! I was never a big fan of Star Trek, but I loved the recent movie, and especially Zach Quinto as Spock. I think your characterization and dialouge is spot-on. Also, this manages to be sweet and sexy at the same time, wrapping up everything I love about Spock and Kirk with a neat little bow.

Now if you'll excuse me, I'll be in my bunk...

[Quite Contrary]

I'm not really a Star Trek fan, but I like this. After I saw the movie, I was hoping someone would write a good sick-Spock story...

[Lethe]

I always loved Star Trek and Spock in particular. It´s so nice to see another sick Spock story. Sequel?

[Aria]

Yay! Lovely story, sick Spock is just about the most wonderful thing ever...