The Sum of the Parts
Captain Kirk paused outside of the hearing room, took a deep breath, and straightened his shoulders. This was the first time he had been called to Starfleet since assuming command of the Enterprise, six months ago. Kirk realized that some at Starfleet had been watching him and his ship carefully, waiting for the newest and youngest Starship captain to fall on his face. Still, this summons had taken him by surprise. Command had given him no clue as to what the subject of this hearing might be.
Kirk's bearing as he entered the room gave no hint of uncertainty.
"Captain Kirk, reporting as ordered, sirs," he snapped.
The two men and two women, admirals all, looked up from their table in unison. Admiral Komack, who was not one of Kirk's admirers, smiled a rather grim smile.
"Come now Captain," drawled Komack, " you're not still a junior officer. No need for such formality. Come in and sit down."
Kirk's confusion briefly played across his face. He had been ordered to report to this hearing. He had brought his ship half way across the galaxy, and now Komack was inferring that this was not a formal hearing. Something didn't feel right, and Kirk hadn't become a Starship captain by ignoring his feelings.
"Captain Kirk," said Admiral Kelley, "we want to discuss with you what seems to be an error in judgement in a crucial staffing choice on the Enterprise. There seems to be an unusual amount of conflict between your senior officers. It is the job of this informal hearing to determine whether this conflict might jeopardize the success of the Enterprise's five year mission."
Kirk was now even more confused. He was not aware of conflict among his officers. How should he proceed to find out what the admirals had in mind without admitting he had no idea what they were talking about?
Admiral Forest, an old friend of Kirk's, who had served with him onboard the Republic some years ago, saw the young captain's dilemma. Knowing Kirk's preference for the direct approach, she chose to risk the displeasure of her colleagues by explaining.
"Jim, we're talking about McCoy. We have reviewed the logs since you promoted him onboard to replace Mark Piper. He's been insubordinate, argumentative and in our opinion, down right dangerous. He argues with you during crises, insults your first officer, and disputes your authority in front of your crew. We think McCoy was a poor choice for you to make, and we want you to consider removing him."
Captain Kirk was stunned. How could the logs seem to show those qualities to the admirals? Kirk had known McCoy since he had regained consciousness in a regen tank after the battle of Ghioge. When Kirk had finally awoken after several weeks of regenerative therapy, he had taken one look at the doctor who was standing next to him, evaluating him with those piercing blue eyes that missed nothing, and thrown up all over him. McCoy had laughed and remarked that he hoped that their next conversation would not be as messy. For the next several months, McCoy had worked with Kirk to help him regain the use of his knee. He had prodded Kirk mercilessly to give all of his strength and energy to recovery. When Kirk had thought that task was impossible, McCoy never let him loose hope. They had talked, and laughed together and occasionally McCoy had held the young lieutenant as he sobbed with pain and exhaustion. They had forged a friendship during that time that Kirk treasured as one of the most meaningful relationships in his life.
Admiral Komack's voice brought the captain to the present.
"How do you explain your medical officer's behavior on M-113, Kirk? McCoy allowed his personal feelings for Dr. Crater's wife to interfere with his duty. He stood by and watched as that salt vampire nearly killed you. He disobeyed the direct orders of your first officer. How can you condone the doctor's actions?"
Kirk directed a steely glance at Komack and then addressed all four of the admirals. "Sirs, Dr. McCoy's behavior on M-113 was at times erratic, that is true. However, what the logs may not show is the effect that the salt creature had on humans. Like a cobra, it mesmerized its victims. McCoy was unable to behave any differently. However, I'd also like to remind the admirals that McCoy's unwillingness to shoot the last survivor of a dead race has been responsible for my awareness that sometimes it's necessary to look for another way to solve a problem. The Enterprise is a ship of exploration and the doctor's hesitation brought that home to me. McCoy's hatred of death, in any creature, not just his captain, is a part of who he is. He has helped me to reevaluate my actions in such a situation in the future."
The admirals were silent for a moment. Komack spoke again.
"What about your first contact with the First Federation? From the logs it looks as if McCoy argued with you on the bridge in front of the command crew. He used valuable time to distract you from finding a solution."
Kirk answered, trying to keep the building anger from his voice.
"On the contrary, sirs. Dr. McCoy's argument helped me to focus on the fact that I was acting not just as the captain, but as the person responsible for all the lives on the Enterprise. Sometimes, in a crisis, events telescope, and it is hard to remember all the four hundred and twenty nine beings that I am responsible for. McCoy makes sure that I never forget them. He constantly reminds me that the ship is not just a machine. His humanity forces me to be aware that my choices determine the fate of all my crew. Besides, if you'll examine the log again, you will see that the doctor's argument helped me to devise what was ultimately a successful strategy."
Three of the admirals seemed to be considering what the captain had said. Komack remained unconvinced.
"What about McCoy's blatant disrespect for Commander Spock? His comments and actions towards the Vulcan seem at times to border on racism."
This time the captain allowed himself a small smile.
"Well, I guess that at times their relationship must seem strange to observers. McCoy is certainly not a racist. He values all life too highly to ever exhibit xenophobia. I think he sees Spock as his special project. He greatly respects his intellect and abilities, but I think he feels that the commander needs some help in recognizing his human half. I'm not sure that Spock agrees with him, but they have developed a kind of game of give and take. And, gentlemen, let me assure you, my first officer gives as good as he gets. They have both offered their lives for one another and I know they would do so again without hesitation."
Admiral Kelley spoke. "Captain, you have certainly forged an unusual team. To those of us who have examined the logs, it doesn't seem possible that the Enterprise can function at all. However, you have had some success. After listening to your explanations, I am inclined to give you some more time with this team in place."
Admiral Forest nodded, as did Admiral T'pav. Only Komack seemed unwilling to concede. Kirk had to find some way to reach him. He knew that the Enterprise and his command would not be the same without McCoy. Bones was a damn fine doctor who had pulled them through many medical crises. But, he did more than that. Spock supported his head and McCoy his heart. They were three parts of a whole. He wouldn't allow Komack to dismantle that whole without a fight.
"Admiral's, I realize that McCoy is not a conventional choice for ship's surgeon, but then neither is Mr. Spock a conventional first officer." He looked directly at Komack as he continued. "And, I am certainly aware that my promotion to captain of the Enterprise was not met with unanimous approval. But, as a team, we work. You know I am an Iowa farm boy. When I was young, my family kept cows and it was my job to milk them. Do you know what a milking stool looks like? It's a round disk of wood, supported by three legs. It's homely and absurdly simple, but it's the steadiest thing you can imagine. It's damn hard to knock someone off a milking stool. But, take away one of those three legs and the stool becomes unstable. Even if you added a new leg, it would never be the same. Please, don't knock the stool out from under me. McCoy is exactly who I need to complete our team. Without him, we are much less than we could be, than we will be."
The room was very still. The four admirals looked at one another for some moments. Finally, Komack broke the silence.
"Very well, Kirk. I am guessing that my colleagues seem willing to give you more time to prove that this command team can work." The other three admirals nodded at the captain. "I just hope that we're not making a terrible mistake. You can keep your doctor for now, but I predict that there is no future for the three of you aboard the Enterprise. And, I'll be watching you."
The captain stood up, tugged at his command tunic, and lit the room with the warmth of his smile.
"Thank you Admirals. I'll make sure that you never regret the decision that you made today. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'd like to get back to my ship and my crew."
The End.