The Vulcan Changeling Project

Buzzed

Uhura tried to hide a smile as she called, “Come in,” for Scotty was leading a blind folded Chekov into the room. As soon as Scotty took off the blind fold Chekov was met with a rousing chorus of Happy Birthday, Muriah and Spock played the tune on their Vulcan Harps and Spock almost stopped performing several times when Uhura sang a particularly beautiful note.

“Beautiful,” Spock thought as he closed his eyes to drown out the stimulus of  Uhura’s magnetism. When he opened his eyes Spock turned towards Muriah and with one glance he knew she felt his pain.

When the song was over Chekov’s eyes filled with tears, “Thank you wery much,” he said softly. Everyone smiled and laughed only Spock remained stoic as he struggled to hear the overtone of Uhura’s last sung note. When the ping of the pitch dissipated Spock bowed his head and hunched his shoulders forward wishing he could disappear.

Scotty came up, clapped Chekov on the shoulder and handed him a bottle of scotch, “Well, laddie the scotch should make your birthday a little happier.”

Chekov smiled. “Well, Mister Spock, it’s not wodka, but it will have to do.”

The room burst into laughter once more and as Uhura looked around to catch Spock’s eye, she noticed that a harp laid cast aside on his bed. Slowly, she walked over and picked up the instrument, pressed her hands against the cooling strings until the warmth from Spock’s hands dissipated.

            ***

Kirk tossed back and forth on his bunk for he was sure there was something he needed to attend to, but try as he might Kirk couldn’t make himself remember, and then he sat up, smacking the heel of his palm against his forehead, “Damn, Chekov’s Birthday, I forgot about Chekov’s party,” Kirk said as he jumped into the shower.

Scotty watched Muriah’s face as she downed another scotch, “the lass has perfect control,” he thought admirably as she consumed yet another shot glass full of the golden elixir.

Muriah sighed and handed the glass back to Scotty. “Mister Scott, that…that…scotch is an interesting beverage, but why does it burn the throat?”

Scotty leaned forward and said, “My mother always told me that if a drink didn’t burn going down it wasn’t worth the trouble.”

Muriah smiled, “Well, in that case I shall have another.”

Spock hovered around the outskirts of the room casually sipping another shot of scotch, hoping by all that was not logical that it would dull his senses. McCoy grinned as he made his way over to where Spock stood hiding in the background, “Spock, you’d better be careful that stuff can be lethal.”

Spock arched an eyebrow and said calmly, “Doctor, am I to assume that this drink has alcohol in it?”

McCoy snorted, “You know damn well it does.”

Spock smiled thinly as he held up his glass to the light, “Doctor, you forget that I am half human.”

McCoy nodded as he unsteadily made his way to Spock’s side and slurred, “Why Spock, if I didn’t know better I would think that you are trying to get soused.”

Spock’s reply was cut off by the swishing of the door as Kirk made his way into the increasingly crowded room. “Ladies and Gentlemen, at ease and Happy Birthday, Chekov,” Kirk said as he smiled and handed Chekov a present.

Chekov nodded in thanks and opened the small present. As the paper fell to the floor he smiled at Kirk as he held a book, it was War and Peace in Russian. “Thank you, Keptin, I will treasure it forever.”

Kirk nodded back and then frowned as he looked around the cabin, an Ensign lay passed out on the floor, and the rest of the party members weren’t too far behind him as they wobbled on their feet, slurring their words. “Damn, I must be a least six to ten shots behind,” Kirk thought as Uhura produced another bottle hid out under Spock’s bed.

Kirk heedlessly downed a couple of shots and then frowned when he saw Spock crouched down in a corner.

“Spock, are you okay?” Kirk asked as he knelt down beside him.

Spock’s sad eyes looked into Kirk’s as he said, “Unfortunately, yes, I feel no adverse effects from the alcohol. Apparently, my Vulcan half has even denied me the experience of getting what you call ‘buzzed’”, Spock said as he sighed and then looked back at Kirk, “I am quite well, Captain. Nothing is out of place, every thought is compartmentalized, every emotion purged.”

Kirk looked away to give Spock his privacy for somehow the laughter in the room sounded harsh, grating and as Kirk glanced up he noticed Muriah observing them sadly. “What do you know?” Kirk thought.