This was the day. It was official. Starfleet joined the 23rd century and allowed homosexuals to serve openly in all parts of the service. Commander Spock and his lover, Doctor McCoy made plans to come out at breakfast.
They arrived at Dining Hall 1 at 0555, claimed a table in the middle of the crowded room, settled down with their usual breakfasts, and waited. Commander Spock and Lt. Commander Leonard McCoy wanted, their friend and captain, James T. Kirk to be part of this momentous occasion.
At 0601, the door swished open and Captain Kirk walked into the mess hall. Len smiled at him and waved him over. Kirk nodded acknowledgement and started over to them, when an unusual occurrence made him stop.
Ensign Rebecca Tompson, engineer third class, stood by the food dispensers; she turned facing the room and raised her hands. “Ahem, friends and shipmates, may I have your attention please,” She tugged her red Engineering standard shirt, squarely over the black pants and ran a nervous hand through her short honey-blond hair. The buzz of a full mess hall stilled. All eyes were on her. She blushed slightly. “I am a lesbian.”
The crowd cheered and applauded. Becky was bombarded with browned bread products.
Spock was appalled. “Captain, you must stop this! That brave young woman has come out to her crewmates; she doesn’t deserve such shabby treatment.”
Kirk looked at Spock with a sly, half-grin on his face. He picked up a scrummy slice and with a deft toss, cried “A toast to Engineer Tompson!”
Bones near ‘bout choked on his coffee. Jim slapped him on the back.
Tompson caught the toast in mid-air, sketched a bow to her Captain and took a big bite. Becky joined her friends at their table, receiving handshakes and well wishes along the way.
Jim sat down and took a sip of coffee. He looked over the rim of his mug at his friends, his hazel eyes dancing. “Now, gentlemen, I recall you had something you wanted to tell me this morning?”
Len gave Spock an encouraging glance and the Vulcan spoke up: “Captain, Doctor McCoy and I are a couple.” Left-handed he raised his teacup to his lips.
“A couple of whats?” Kirk asked. He wasn’t going to let’em get away this easy.
Spock began again; “Doctor McCoy and I are lovers.” He sat rigid at attention. Kirk’s opinion was the second most important in his universe.
Kirk turned to McCoy. “Well, Bones, do you concur? Are you hot for this green blooded hob-goblin?”
Len blushed. Those old insults stung. “Yeah, I love the big elf.” Leonard was fond of elves in general, thank you J. R. R. Tolkien.
“How did ‘Doctor McCoy‘, win you over Spock? Did Bones bedazzle you with his beads and rattles?”
A faint emerald flush crossed Spock’s cheeks. He and the good doctor had had a good time with beads and rattles. The captain was… “You know.” he accused.
Kirk laughed. “Of course I know. Hell, Spock we share a bathroom and a bulkhead. I may not have keen Vulcan senses, but I can tell when someone sleeps over.” Jim shoveled scrambled eggs into his mouth. “McCoy leaves the sonic shower settings at near human tolerances, but the room smells like a sick bay. Seriously, Bones it’s the 23rd century. Why does sick bay have to peculiar smell?”
Bones considered flipping oatmeal onto his commanding officer. “So, you do mind that you XO and CMO are dating?” he challenged.
“In all seriousness, I am delighted that my two best friends have decided to make love not war.” He leaned across the table and touched their hands. “I guess I just a big romantic at heart.”
“Serial romantic.” Len murmured.
“So, Spock,” Jim asked causally, “Have you told your parents you’re dating your old college sweetheart?”
Spock’s eyebrows disappeared under his bangs. // My father! How did Jim know about college? // McCoy nearly did a spit take with his coffee. // Your father! // College? How did Jim know? //
“Breathe, gentlemen. I recalled some scuttlebutt about a Vulcan cadet who brought a human male to the Spring Cotillion. A quick computer search brought wonderful pictures of Cadet Spock and his lanky lothario burning up the dance floor.”
Leonard said with a heavy drawl, “Ya’ll know Ah kain’t resist a good Cotillion.” His knee grazed Spock’s.
“I was young and impressionable,” Spock explained “Leonard lead me astray.”
“My aching sacroiliac, ‘astray’? You were willin’ and eager --As Ah recall.”
“Yes, but as a future Star Fleet officer and member of the host campus, I should have lead during the dance, not my civilian date, Doctor.”
“Enough!” Jim chuckled. “You two already argue like an old married couple.”
“Indeed, Captain. Then the next logical step would be for Doctor McCoy and me to get married.”
“It may be logical, Spock, but I’d hate to lose you. What would the Enterprise do without you?” Jim said gently.
“Dammit, Jim. Gay marriage is legal. Why would that get Spock or me kicked off of the Enterprise?” Len growled.
Kirk shook his head. “It’s not gay marriage; it’s marriage,” He held up his hand to stop McCoy’s next barrage. “More to the point the Sullivans Protocol.”
Spock nodded. “The Sullivans Protocol applies to family members serving together on the same vessel under hazardous conditions.”
“Spock, once you marry our Chief Medical Officer will become your next of kin. And you have to agree that life aboard the Gray Lady is not exactly safe.”
“Bah, rules and regulations! Tell me, Captain, is there any restriction on engaged couples serving together?” A blue fire lit McCoy’s eyes.
“None that I’m aware of, Bones” Jim turned to the Vulcan. “Mr. Spock?”
“While there are no regulations specifically outlawing engaged couples, there are regulations concerning fraternization, and sexual harassment. I suspect, Leonard, that you and I will not be the only ones facing new frontiers.”
“Naw, shug. I reckon not.”
Kirk lifted up his coffee mug; “A toast, then gentlemen: To new frontiers”
FIN
They arrived at Dining Hall 1 at 0555, claimed a table in the middle of the crowded room, settled down with their usual breakfasts, and waited. Commander Spock and Lt. Commander Leonard McCoy wanted, their friend and captain, James T. Kirk to be part of this momentous occasion.
At 0601, the door swished open and Captain Kirk walked into the mess hall. Len smiled at him and waved him over. Kirk nodded acknowledgement and started over to them, when an unusual occurrence made him stop.
Ensign Rebecca Tompson, engineer third class, stood by the food dispensers; she turned facing the room and raised her hands. “Ahem, friends and shipmates, may I have your attention please,” She tugged her red Engineering standard shirt, squarely over the black pants and ran a nervous hand through her short honey-blond hair. The buzz of a full mess hall stilled. All eyes were on her. She blushed slightly. “I am a lesbian.”
The crowd cheered and applauded. Becky was bombarded with browned bread products.
Spock was appalled. “Captain, you must stop this! That brave young woman has come out to her crewmates; she doesn’t deserve such shabby treatment.”
Kirk looked at Spock with a sly, half-grin on his face. He picked up a scrummy slice and with a deft toss, cried “A toast to Engineer Tompson!”
Bones near ‘bout choked on his coffee. Jim slapped him on the back.
Tompson caught the toast in mid-air, sketched a bow to her Captain and took a big bite. Becky joined her friends at their table, receiving handshakes and well wishes along the way.
Jim sat down and took a sip of coffee. He looked over the rim of his mug at his friends, his hazel eyes dancing. “Now, gentlemen, I recall you had something you wanted to tell me this morning?”
Len gave Spock an encouraging glance and the Vulcan spoke up: “Captain, Doctor McCoy and I are a couple.” Left-handed he raised his teacup to his lips.
“A couple of whats?” Kirk asked. He wasn’t going to let’em get away this easy.
Spock began again; “Doctor McCoy and I are lovers.” He sat rigid at attention. Kirk’s opinion was the second most important in his universe.
Kirk turned to McCoy. “Well, Bones, do you concur? Are you hot for this green blooded hob-goblin?”
Len blushed. Those old insults stung. “Yeah, I love the big elf.” Leonard was fond of elves in general, thank you J. R. R. Tolkien.
“How did ‘Doctor McCoy‘, win you over Spock? Did Bones bedazzle you with his beads and rattles?”
A faint emerald flush crossed Spock’s cheeks. He and the good doctor had had a good time with beads and rattles. The captain was… “You know.” he accused.
Kirk laughed. “Of course I know. Hell, Spock we share a bathroom and a bulkhead. I may not have keen Vulcan senses, but I can tell when someone sleeps over.” Jim shoveled scrambled eggs into his mouth. “McCoy leaves the sonic shower settings at near human tolerances, but the room smells like a sick bay. Seriously, Bones it’s the 23rd century. Why does sick bay have to peculiar smell?”
Bones considered flipping oatmeal onto his commanding officer. “So, you do mind that you XO and CMO are dating?” he challenged.
“In all seriousness, I am delighted that my two best friends have decided to make love not war.” He leaned across the table and touched their hands. “I guess I just a big romantic at heart.”
“Serial romantic.” Len murmured.
“So, Spock,” Jim asked causally, “Have you told your parents you’re dating your old college sweetheart?”
Spock’s eyebrows disappeared under his bangs. // My father! How did Jim know about college? // McCoy nearly did a spit take with his coffee. // Your father! // College? How did Jim know? //
“Breathe, gentlemen. I recalled some scuttlebutt about a Vulcan cadet who brought a human male to the Spring Cotillion. A quick computer search brought wonderful pictures of Cadet Spock and his lanky lothario burning up the dance floor.”
Leonard said with a heavy drawl, “Ya’ll know Ah kain’t resist a good Cotillion.” His knee grazed Spock’s.
“I was young and impressionable,” Spock explained “Leonard lead me astray.”
“My aching sacroiliac, ‘astray’? You were willin’ and eager --As Ah recall.”
“Yes, but as a future Star Fleet officer and member of the host campus, I should have lead during the dance, not my civilian date, Doctor.”
“Enough!” Jim chuckled. “You two already argue like an old married couple.”
“Indeed, Captain. Then the next logical step would be for Doctor McCoy and me to get married.”
“It may be logical, Spock, but I’d hate to lose you. What would the Enterprise do without you?” Jim said gently.
“Dammit, Jim. Gay marriage is legal. Why would that get Spock or me kicked off of the Enterprise?” Len growled.
Kirk shook his head. “It’s not gay marriage; it’s marriage,” He held up his hand to stop McCoy’s next barrage. “More to the point the Sullivans Protocol.”
Spock nodded. “The Sullivans Protocol applies to family members serving together on the same vessel under hazardous conditions.”
“Spock, once you marry our Chief Medical Officer will become your next of kin. And you have to agree that life aboard the Gray Lady is not exactly safe.”
“Bah, rules and regulations! Tell me, Captain, is there any restriction on engaged couples serving together?” A blue fire lit McCoy’s eyes.
“None that I’m aware of, Bones” Jim turned to the Vulcan. “Mr. Spock?”
“While there are no regulations specifically outlawing engaged couples, there are regulations concerning fraternization, and sexual harassment. I suspect, Leonard, that you and I will not be the only ones facing new frontiers.”
“Naw, shug. I reckon not.”
Kirk lifted up his coffee mug; “A toast, then gentlemen: To new frontiers”
FIN
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